


heroes (just for one day?)

by NOIRequin



Series: add this song to your heart [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Fluff, Good Parents Sabine Cheng & Tom Dupain, Happy Ending, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Humor, Identity Reveal, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Oblivious Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Plagg Is So Done (Miraculous Ladybug), Post-Episode: s02 Mayura (Heroes' Day Part 2), Post-Season/Series 02, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Supportive Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Tikki Is So Done (Miraculous Ladybug), Tired Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, set after s2, the rest of seasons are CANCELLED
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:14:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26120986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NOIRequin/pseuds/NOIRequin
Summary: After the epic failure of Heroes’ Day, Mayor Bourgeois and his counselor decided to organize another city-wide event in honor of all the citizens who fought against the evil during the previous celebration. Some people nominate Marinette as an Everyday Hero, the face of that event, but she doubts that she’s worth this title.Luckily, she gets a partner who will help her not only nail organizational issues but to embrace the title of Everyday Ladybug as well.Set immediately after s2, so episodes after that are invalid in this universe.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Plagg, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Tikki, Sabine Cheng & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Tom Dupain
Series: add this song to your heart [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1876561
Comments: 90
Kudos: 374
Collections: August 2020 - Exchange





	1. And you, you will be Queen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mommadon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mommadon/gifts).



> I'm excited to start sharing my new story with you! This will be my longest and the most complex fic as for now. I've agonized a lot over it (and continue doing it, because only a half is a written lol), but I dare to hope that you'll like this plot as much as I do.  
> I had decided to participate in August Exchange on Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server. I got a prompt from Mommadon - an amazing author whose stories I thoroughly enjoyed.  
> When I read the first line of the prompt about an event in honor of unsung heroes of Paris, my mind immediately went to S2 finale where civilians helped heroes stop some akumas. Then I remembered that Nora quoted David Bowie's "Heroes", standing on barricades, and everything spiraled out of the control from that point 😂 I don't count this as a songfic, but the song heavily influenced the story and will play an important role later.  
> So, Mommadon, this chapter has all that you wanted in the prompt. Imo, that idea begged me to write more. So expect tons of Marichat interactions and Everyday Ladybug in action in the rest of chapters. 😉  
> The biggest thanks to my betas ( [Khanofallorcs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khanofallorcs/pseuds/Khanofallorcs) and [AnimeDeviant022](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeDeviant022/pseuds/AnimeDeviant022)) and to the members of [Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) for their endless support, help, and encouragement.

**_“We can be heroes. Just for one day.”_ **

That’s what Nora Césaire had said to a crowd of Parisians armed with whatever they had in their homes, leading them to battle. People had been helpful to the Miraculous team in that almost hopeless battle on Heroes’ Day. They had proven to themselves that people didn’t need a boost from magical jewelry to defeat a villain. Or, at least, slow him down and win some time for actual superheroes to catch their breath and come up with a plan. This outburst of civilian solidarity had lifted Parisians’ spirits as much as the first appearance of Ladybug and Chat Noir several months ago and the falseness of their death on Heroes’ Day.

Those little acts of big heroism had been captured by cameras under the control of Prime Queen and by the city’s security system. Later, Nadja Chamack had shown them in her evening show. More videos had been leaked, and they had become viral on social media. People had been talking about it on the streets, cafes, supermarkets  — everywhere. Even in the City Hall.

* * *

The mayor’s counselor Sebastian Fabron sat in the smoking-room, sipping his morning coffee, glancing from time to time at his coworkers through the clouds of vape smoke, and took mental notes from their conversation. 

It looked like only a limited number of people had realized that André Bourgeois had almost left the city after a passionate anti-evil speech and then had been turned into the akuma along with his wife and butler. But the cameras had caught their appearance as re-akumatized villains. 

It’s not like the mayor felt ashamed or could be bullied because of that. There was a known rule that the akuma victims weren’t guilty of anything; Hawkmoth was. But it would be nice to make up somehow for Bourgeois’ “red” appearance and ruined Heroes’ Day. 

Fabron took the last sips of his coffee, already knowing what he had to tell the mayor during the next meeting.

* * *

“Are you serious, Sebastian?” the mayor asked, looking up from the papers on his desk.

Fabron nodded. “As I’ll ever be, André. It’s the main topic of all the conversations that I’ve heard in Paris this week. Appreciation of all those civilians who helped the Miraculous team to pick up the fight can inspire them and give you a lot of bonuses. We just have to handle an issue of the citizens possessed by evil very kindly and carefully.” 

Bourgeois scowled, not liking the reminder of his failure. “So, are you saying that we should organize another city-wide event, but in honor of all the citizens who fought against the evil during the previous celebration, ruined by Hawkmoth’s appearance?”

Fabron smiled and handed the mayor a piece of paper with a draft of his speech. “Pretty much. Here is what you should say to Parisians on that matter. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve booked time on TVi for your statement. We should be there in,” he glanced at his wristwatch, “3 hours and 13 minutes.”

The mayor only hummed in agreement, reading the speech draft.

* * *

“... showed that we can unite for a good cause and if not defeat the evil completely, then, at least, be of great help to superheroes,” Mayor Bourgeois' voice flowed from the speakers and echoed around the room. Marinette and Tikki watched the urgent announcement live on the monitor in the bedroom.

“Each of us should cultivate their inner hero, let it free, and help to discover heroes in others. So be it. I decided to start over and celebrate another Heroes’ Day. But this edition will be dedicated to those of you who stood up against evil. To those of you who do small and big things in favor of others everyday. Who save lives, who teach the children, who drive buses and trains, who bake fresh bread every morning and clean the streets every night. We decided that we all can be heroes. And we will celebrate it.”

The mayor continued to explain his plans. He and his family were known for making huge and pompous parties. And each big event needed a big PR campaign, symbolics, and ambassadors. That’s why André announced an election where civilians would choose their representative. That person would be the highlight of the celebration along with the superheroes. It was decided that people of Paris would nominate the candidates, and then the winner would be chosen amongst the first dozen of the most voted candidates. The jury consisting of famous citizens such as Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, and Nadja Chamack was tasked to make a final decision two weeks after the start of voting.

“What do you think about it, Marinette?” Tikki asked when the live broadcast ended.

The girl in question scratched her chin thoughtfully. “Honestly, I like the idea. I admire the people who took to the streets on Heroes’ Day to help us, their bravery and determination; without them, we would have definitely lost that battle.” Tikki nodded, watching her chosen intently. Marinette sighed, sadness seeping into her eyes. “I’m just afraid that it could be another opportunity for Hawkmoth to wreak havoc and cause problems. People will be crushed if another celebration is cruelly ruined again.”

“Marinette, dinner!” Sabine called from downstairs at that exact moment.

The girl sighed and got up from her chair. “We’ll see how it goes. I’m sure that a lot of people are good enough to represent civilians. The jury will have to make a tough decision.”

* * *

When Marinette entered the kitchen, her parents were sitting at the table and discussing something animatedly, scribbling words in their notebooks.

Tom noticed their daughter and gestured for her to join them. When the girl came closer and looked at the pair questioningly, the man asked, “Marinette! Have you heard about voting for Everyday Heroes?” 

She frowned. “Yeah… Why?”

“We decided to nominate you!” Sabine exclaimed. 

“WHAT?!” Marinette jumped in surprise. “Why m-me?”

Tom bound up from his chair excitedly and started pacing around the kitchen. “Marinette, you’re capable of a lot more than you think you are! You’re a dedicated and proactive class representative, you have excellent grades in all subjects. You’re so nice and friendly to children, so kind and helpful to old people. You’re assisting us so much here in the bakery! Customers love you and often ask us how our lovely daughter is doing.” 

The man grew more and more excited. “You’re so talented! Jagged Stone praised your designs and even chose you to make his album cover! Your friends love wearing clothes designed by you. Isn’t it enough?”

Marinette was stunned by passion and confidence in her father’s voice. She stood near the table, gripping the back of a chair and gaping like a fish. Sure, her parents always expressed their love freely and didn’t skimp on praise. But this? This was another level. 

“B-but wa-wait!” Marinette managed to squeak after a few moments of awkward silence. “I-I’m sure that there are people who are more heroic than me!” She started to wave her hands frantically, counting. “Firefighters, policemen, doctors who save lives daily, teachers, and construction workers who build the future! And there’s me, just a normal girl with a normal life.” ‘ _ And a secret superhero identity, but that’s not the point now.’ _

Sabine got up and stood between her husband and daughter. She placed a comforting hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “Sweetie, this event was created to celebrate heroes in us, each and every small action that makes this world better. You do plenty of heroic things every day, so you barely have time to sleep enough and are often late to classes.” The woman smiled, remembering the morning antics of her daughter. “You can be a great example for your peers and a push to the good side that some adults need. I’m sure there’s a lot of worthy candidates out there, but we’re not going to change our decision.”

“Besides, I’ve already made a base for a giant Marinette cake, similar to what I did for previous Heroes’ Day in honor of Ladybug!” Tom grinned proudly and winked at his daughter.

Marinette’s jaw dropped. “PAPA!” she yelled at him. “Are you going to make a giant copy of my head to promote me as a representative of civilian heroes?!”

“YES!” Tom said confidently, puffing his chest out. “And a special Marinette menu with your favorites: matcha macarons, croissants with raspberry filling, and spinach quiches!” 

Marinette closed her eyes, imagined a couple of plates with all those goodies, and sighed in defeat. ‘M _ ore pastries wouldn’t hurt. Customers would appreciate it, for sure. There was no guarantee that they would vote for a normal girl and bring her on the top of the list, right?’ _ She fidgeted with her hands nervously and looked at her parents with pleading eyes. “O-okay. Just don’t go overboard with it, please.”

“Excellent! Now, let’s eat!” Sabine ushered them to the settled table. “The meal is getting cold.”

* * *

The next morning, Marinette was late. Again. As usual. She ran to the school with a raspberry-filled croissant in her mouth (yes, Tom had kept his word and baked her favorite pastries the very next day). The bell already rang, but judging by the intense noise of chatter from the classroom, Miss Bustier wasn’t there yet.

Marinette flew there like a tornado, intending to slide into her seat as fast as possible without tripping, but stopped dead in her tracks. Alya stood beside the flip-chart, surrounded by several other classmates. A paper sheet had the title “MARINETTE IS A HERO” written by black marker. A long list of bullet points written by smaller letters followed it.

Rose spotted her first and rushed to her side. “Marinette! We decided to nominate you as an Everyday Hero!” she squeaked enthusiastically. 

_ ‘Parents were first, now classmates?’  _ Marinette felt nauseous. “Why?” she managed to ask aloud.

“Girl!” Alya came closer, hands on her hips, determination mixed with bewilderment in her expression. “Why are you even asking? Sure, you’re often late, and your head is in the clouds more than it should be.” She glanced pointedly at Adrien who just entered the classroom. “But you’re a great example to us. I can’t understand sometimes how you can juggle all your responsibilities and commissions, duties in the bakery, designs, homework, babysitting, hanging out with us,” she pretended to eye her friend suspiciously. “Are you a robot? Or maybe an actual superhero?”

Marinette sputtered and instantly turned red. “Wh-who? M-me? Are you kidding? I’m madly clumsy!” she babbled. No one noticed Adrien’s head jerking up.

“Whatever!” Alya waved her hand dismissively. “We’ve compiled the evidence already.”

“What evidence?” Marinette gasped in horror. 

“That you are the best candidate for a civilian hero role in the upcoming celebration!” Mylène said, looking at her friend with admiration. Everyone in the room nodded eagerly, except Chloé and Sabrina; those two pretended to be busy studying the fashion magazine.

Marinette sighed in relief. Then an idea struck her. “Alya!” she exclaimed too loudly, hoping to catch more attention and convince classmates to take her side. “I’ll nominate you! You’ve created the Ladyblog — the biggest source of news about superheroes and akumas! You’re so brave and selfless, even reckless sometimes when you chase those akumas. But I’m sure that Parisians really appreciate your input and can choose you as a representative!” 

Alya started to blush. Marinette smirked. ‘ _ Time to lay a final blow _ .’ “Won’t it be exciting to stand proud, side by side with Ladybug and Chat Noir as their biggest fan and their most dedicated follower?”

Alya looked torn for several seconds. Different emotions flickered through her face, but then determination settled in again. “Thank you for such kind words, Marinette,” the young reporter said, adjusting her glasses and overlooking the crowd.”I’d be honored if you’ll nominate me and Parisians will support your choice. Though I don’t know about people over here, but you,” Alya pointed her finger at Marinette, “can’t change my decision. You’re my hero, and I’m voting for you!” 

Marinette crossed her arms. “Fine. I won’t stop you, but I still think that you’d better choose someone else. There are a lot of worthy people in our class. For example,” she began to look around, picking up candidates from the crowd of classmates, “Max! Yes, Max! You’ve developed a robot with an unique type of artificial intelligence and even emotions! Or Rose who helps Prince Ali come up with ideas of charity events and campaigns! Or Mylene and Ivan who are a part of the eco-movement and constantly make our city cleaner and safer. Or-”

“Marinette!” Adrien interrupted her, coming from behind and standing beside Alya. “You’re a real everyday hero for us, and it’s the least that we could do to repay for your kindness.”

Marinette would have become a puddle of goo after that statement coming from her crush, but Miss Bustier came into the classroom at that moment.

“Class, sit down, please,” she said. Then her gaze fell onto the flip-chart and began to run over the lines. Her face brightened, she turned to her students.

“Well, I see that you’ve made your decision even without my reminder. Please, make sure to submit your votes on time. Marinette,” the teacher focused on her star pupil. “I’ve already voted for you at the teacher’s conference. Everyone else chose you as well, so Mr. Damocles will send a letter to the City Hall about it as soon as the student council choses their nominee.”

Marinette groaned. Alya patted her friend’s arm gently. “I’m sure that your fellows from there will choose you as well. Who else, if not they, have seen you in action and know about your hard work and dedication to the school and students’ wellbeing?”

Marinette just groaned again, banging her head against the table a couple of times. She felt Tikki pressing into her thigh in a reassuring manner through the material of her purse.

* * *

Needless to say, other representatives had told Marinette unanimously that she had been their choice. She had been devastated, but they had refused to listen to her pleading with them to change their mind.

Very agitated, Marinette went back to the bakery and nearly had a heart attack when she spotted a cake in the shape of her head that stood in the window. Its eyes, made from blueberry and chocolate macarons, looked at pedestrians. The smile seemed cryptic; that expression would fit more for posters with Ladybug in action.

Marinette flew into the bakery in rage; the door closed behind her with a loud bang. “Papa, Maman!”

A couple of customers turned their heads to her. “What happened, sweetie?” Sabine asked from behind the counter, concerned.

“Why did you make a copy of my head and put it on public display?” Marinette demanded; tears of frustration welled in her eyes. “Am I a joke to you? Or a big advertisement asset?” 

“Marinette, dear, we didn’t intend to offend you,” Tom came from the back area and put his hands on his daughter’s shoulders. “That was for promotional purposes, but yours, not the bakery. We believe that you can really win in the Everyday Hero election, so we’re trying to engage as many potential supporters as possible.”

“Dear, you’re incredible, kind, and helpful,” one of the customers said, trying to catch Marinette’s gaze. When the upset girl focused on her, the old lady smiled brightly. “Don’t underestimate yourself. We know that you’re a talented girl that will someday grow up into a smart and resourceful adult that could surpass the most famous and capable people. The world is becoming better with the help of people like you!”

“Yeah, madame Josephine is totally right about you,” another regular customer and their neighbor, Victor, joined the conversation. “Of course, there are a lot of heroes among us who are good enough to represent civilians in the upcoming celebration. But you are good as well, little bun. Don’t doubt yourself.” He patted Marinette’s head affectionately. She gave him a small smile. “Your parents and some of us, customers and friends, really believe in you and support your candidacy! See, Tom and Sabine have already got a couple of hundreds of signatures under their letter about your nomination. I believe that it will be twice more till the end of the day when I will collect it to submit in the city hall.”

“WHAT?” Marinette shrieked, her eyes bulging out in disbelief. ‘ _ This seemingly harmless idea is starting to spiral out of control! Di-sas-ter!” _ Her parents just nodded, sporting similar proud grins on their faces. “Okay,” the girl managed to say. “Okay. Thank you, madame Josephine, monsieur Victor. Maman, Papa, thank you. I need to go to my room to think about it.”

“Sure, sweetie, go ahead, I've placed a plate with your favorite treats there, so you can enjoy them as much as our customers today,” Sabine winked at her distressed daughter. A few customers cheered at that.

“They’re great, thank you!” Marinette said too loud. “Unlike that creepy cake,” she muttered under her breath, climbing up the stairs. 

She entered her room, threw her backpack under the desk, and plopped down on the chair. Tikki flew out of her purse to the plate and took one macaron to munch happily. Marinette repeated her action, chewing and swallowing absentmindedly.

“Tikki, why are they all so convinced that I’m the greatest among civilian heroes? I’m just a normal girl!” Marinette flailed her hands, nearly knocking the plate over the table.

The kwami crossed her arms, eyeing her chosen skeptically. “Marinette. You’re a literal superhero! Amazing, brave, and fierce Ladybug. Thirty-nine hours without transforming, and you’ve already forgotten?”

“That’s the thing!” Marinette wailed. “They don’t know that! What heroic things have they seen in Marinette? I’m clumsy! I’m constantly late! I’m a walking disaster who can’t tell the boy about her feelings without mixing up her words. Scratch that; about anything in the world, even a simple “Hello, how are you?” How could I be considered a hero?!”

Tikki sighed. She was sad that her wielder had low self-esteem, but still tried to approach Marinette gently and make her see herself in a different light.

“Marinette. You do realize that **you** make Ladybug so awesome, not the costume provided by me? I mean, the super-strength comes in handy, yes.” The kwami hovered in front of Marinette’s face. “But it’s you who stands up to villains regularly. It’s you who comes up with complex plans and ideas for my creations. It’s you who comforts victims and tells them earnestly that they aren’t guilty.” Her voice became stern. “So why can’t you believe that all those people would cherish you even without the mask and magical abilities? Why can’t I persuade you that everyday actions are even more heroic because you do them easily even without my powers?”

Marinette gaped at her companion wordlessly. The kwami was always encouraging and supportive, but such a fiercely and passionately articulated opinion was something new and... even more spirit-lifting and convincing.

Tikki’s expression softened back to her usual attitude. “I love you, Marinette. You’re an amazing person, and even your flaws can’t outweigh all your positive qualities. But you need to believe more in yourself. You’ll be only stronger, inside and especially outside of the costume.”

The girl’s eyes were full of tears. “Thank you, Tikki,” she whispered. And then the trademark “this is a disaster” expression started to creep onto her face again. Tikki braced herself; the battle with her insecurities wasn’t over. 

“Tikki!” Marinette said horrified. ‘What if they really choose me? My identity will be compromised! They will recognize me!” She visibly tensed. “Hawkmoth will come at night, take you and Miraculous away from me, and…” she gasped, clutching her chest, “might even try to kill me! This is a disaster!”

Tikki just smiled, used to similar outbursts. “Marinette, you underestimate the power of the magical glamour! Remember that time when you wore Ladybug costume for Clara Nightingale video? No one recognized you!”

Marinette exhaled harshly, relieved. “I will take your word for it, Tikki!”

“You can trust me, Marinette, I’ve dealt with that for millennia!” Tikki chirped enthusiastically. “Now let’s enjoy all these delicious pastries!”

* * *

Sebastian Fabron strutted down the corridors of the City Hall. He held the folder with the results of the Everyday Hero election under his arm. There were printed lists with the names of a dozen of the most voted people of Paris. The man was exuberant about the announcement of the contest winners and looked forward to hearing the thoughts of a jury about people in the list. He knew some of them in person, but several names surprised him.

The counselor knocked twice on the door of the conference hall where the important meeting was supposed to take place and entered. There, besides the Bourgeois couple, sat the members of the jury who would choose the embodiment of Parisians' bravery very soon. TV presenter Nadja Chamack was furiously tapping something on her phone. Rockstar Jagged Stone was writing something in his little shabby pocket notebook, humming a melody quietly; Sebastian recognized it as one of David Bowie's hits; something about heroes. Pop singer Clara Nightingale and her assistant were looking through the costumes sketches, discussing it in furious whispers. A few other celebrities were also more or less occupied or engaged in conversations. Clearly, everyone was waiting for him and the papers to start.

The counselor cleared his throat to get their attention. The room went silent; everyone waited for him to speak.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began. “I’m giving you the results of the popular will. Here are the dozen civilian heroes who are cherished the most by Parisians,” he rounded the tables, passing paper sheets to each celebrity. Then Fabron took the last paper and started reading the names aloud. “Mathis Perrot, the professor of Sorbonne; Armand Besson, the surgeon; Marie Guillet, the head of the biggest volunteer organisation in Paris; Suzanne Poirier, the head of a nursing home; Olivier Payet, the firefighter…” He listed a few more names that almost didn’t cause any reaction from people in the room, and made a short pause before the last name.

“...and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a student from Collège Françoise Dupont.” This name got everyone’s attention; several cheers and excited gasps were heard across the room.

“That’s the real rock-n-roll!” Jagged Stone, who got his list first and already saw the winner, exclaimed, bouncing on his chair. “I know Marinette in person; she’s designed some things for me. She’s very talented, albeit very young, but that was never a flaw! Kids could do more rock-n-roll than plain old boring clerks!” He shot a pointed look at the mayor and Sebastian. The latter chose to ignore that; the former hadn’t even noticed.

“I agree with you, Jagged!” Clara fidgeted on her chair excitedly. “She is brilliant as a planner and even better as a designer! She saved my music video with teamwork. She is more than one of a kind. Her fashion is on par with the best artwork; just look at the designs that came from her mind!” The singer held up her hand with one of the sketches that she had previously discussed with her assistant. Audrey Bourgeois immediately snatched that piece of paper to look closer.

“Ah yes, I remember that girl and her style vividly. She’s impressed even Gabriel, that stick in the mud who never knew how to smile. And she refused to go to New York with me!” The Style Queen rolled her eyes dramatically. “She said she has a lot of things to do here. And people that she loves. Utterly ridiculous selflessness!” Audrey glanced at the number of votes next to the name and hummed appreciatively. “I’d say that it will be hard for Marinette to reach the top of the fashion industry with that lack of fangs, but it looks like people love her. She can try to convert it into success.”

Officer Raincomprix nodded in agreement from the corner. “I know her too. She stands for justice when she can. She helps us with small issues regularly, and reports violations of the law when she can do nothing. Actually,” he rubbed his chin, “Marinette even helped superheroes to defeat some akumas. Brave! And truly selfless. What every hero should be like.”

“I adore Marinette!” Nadja Chamack smiled brightly. “She can handle my daughter and gets along with other kids very well. She was very empathetic, her kind words have helped many people to calm down in difficult situations.” Nadja sighed dreamily. “And her family’s place is so warm and welcoming…”

Mayor Bourgeois met the gaze of his counselor while several more celebrities expressed their opinions. Fabron nodded approvingly. The mayor rubbed the bridge of his nose, adjusted his tie, and cleared his throat.

“Well, dear members of the jury. I see that you agree wholeheartedly with Parisians’ choice. Sebastian, please, schedule a press conference to announce the results for tomorrow and let Ladybug and Chat Noir know about the time and place.”

The conference hall erupted with cheers and applause. 

* * *

The next morning, the ballroom of the Grand Paris Hotel was filled with journalists, bloggers, and photographers. The TV crew had set up a live broadcast and had begun a 5-minute countdown. Ladybug looked around, wringing her fingers nervously. She felt that something big was coming. That morning Nadja had stopped by the bakery for her usual order before working shifts. The woman had not so subtly winked at Marinette and told Tom and Sabine that they would be definitely satisfied by the choice of Parisians and the jury.

Ladybug felt a comforting touch of Chat Noir’s hand on her forearm. She relaxed a little bit. Her partner’s presence always calmed her down, even when sometimes he was almost unbearable with his puns or flirtatious advances. 

“What’s the matter, M’Lady?” he said quietly in her ear. “Are you afraid that Paris will recognize your beauty and bravery and will choose you again as their beloved and cherished hero, only without the mask?”

She let out a strained laugh. ‘ _ If only you knew…’ _

Thankfully, Fabron unknowingly came to the rescue, carrying a fancy envelope with the name of the Everyday Hero. Chat Noir took it gently in his hands and rushed Ladybug to climb onto the small scene where the mayor already held his speech.

“... and now the superhero duo will announce to you the name of the person that you, the Parisians, have chosen as your representative in the upcoming celebration in honour of civilian heroes!” 

Chat Noir made a show of opening the envelope with his claws and handed it to his partner to read aloud. She pulled out a small piece of paper, and after one glance at three words and a number of votes on it, her heartbeat stuttered and her hands began to shake. Panic clawed at her chest and throat; it suddenly became hard to breath. Several scenarios with the worst consequences swept through her mind at the speed of light. ‘ _ Why? How was this even possible?’ _

The hushed whisper from her partner reached her ears. “Bugaboo, say something!” 

Right. The people of Paris deserved to know who would become the living symbol of civilian heroism in one month. The people of Paris were waiting for the name, holding their breath in excited anticipation.

“Citizens of Paris and an unbiased jury chose as a representative of civilian heroes…” she inhaled deeply to hold a dramatic pause and calm herself down at least a little bit.  _ ‘Oh my God, how am I going to pull it off? What do I do?’  _ her inner alarmist lamented. ‘ _ Say it already _ ,’ answered another steady and confident voice in her head, sounding suspiciously like Tikki.

“... Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” she nearly shouted, and the second part of her last name was drowned by the applause.

From her right, she heard a soft gasp of delight and turned to see a content smile on Chat Noir’s face. “She got it! Marinette is so amazing, M’Lady!” he said sincerely. “Almost as amazing as you! She truly deserves that title, and even more!” Ladybug looked at him, dumbfounded.  _ ‘How can he even know that? He met me only three times during akuma attacks and a few more just in passing. Was that enough for him to form such a high opinion?’ _

Ladybug narrowed her eyes suspiciously but didn't have time to say anything because the mayor suddenly appeared in front of them. “So, heroes of Paris, I need to ask you now: who will represent your team and help us to organize and hold the Everyday Heroes’ Appreciation Day?”

“CHAT!” Ladybug squawked immediately. “I-I will be busy! In a month, yeah! All month! Can’t take more responsibilities! Chat Noir, help! Gotta go, bug out!”

She practically ran away from the scene to the closest window and threw herself from it. Chat looked after her in surprise, then shrugged, and turned back to the confused mayor.

“It will be an honor and a pleasure to work with Miss Dupain-Cheng and the rest of the team that will organize the celebration! I’ll make sure the civilian heroes get all the appreciation that they deserve. Can we discuss the details and deadlines now?” The mayor nodded and motioned to the superhero to follow him to his office.


	2. We can beat them, just for one day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go!  
> Marichat partnership starts developing, and Everyday Ladybug is acting quite badass under the pressure.

Marinette stormed into the bakery, panting from the long run. She’d needed that to blow off steam after seeing her name as the winner of the Everyday Hero election. A long and fast run in the red spandex costume helped her to distance herself from the overwhelming attention to Marinette, clear her thoughts, and calm down. But she wasn’t ready for the celebration her parents had in store for her. 

As soon as she stepped into the living room, Tom engulfed her in a bear hug and twirled her around, humming a joyful tune. Sabine just clapped and smiled fondly.

“Papa. Can’t. Breathe.” Marinette wheezed. Tom put her back on the floor and crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at the girl.

“And where have you been, young lady? Why haven’t you watched the announcement of the winner with us?” Tom asked, pretending to be stern.

“I-I was…” Marinette’s mind ran a mile in a minute, trying to come up with an excuse. “I-I was at the Trocadéro, sketching. Yes, new designs.”  _ ‘But you don’t even have a backpack and a sketchbook with you.’  _ a traitorous voice in her head whispered. The girl’s awkward smile widened; her eyes flickered nervously around the room. She hoped beyond hope that her parents hadn't caught her in a lie.

Tom laughed and patted her head gently. “I hope you’ve heard the news?”

“It’s hard not to,” Marinette shrugged, barely resisting breathing a sigh of relief. Really, several people had been waving or shouting their congratulations while she had been running a couple of blocks on her way home. That was one of the reasons why she had chosen to get back from the hotel as her alter-ego.

“My little girl, grown up and so kind-spirited,” Sabine wiped tears from her cheeks and gestured at the coffee table where a little white cake decorated with fruits had been placed. “We have a little treat for you here. Let’s make some tea and watch the evening news together.”

The women busied themselves in the kitchen while Tom was tuning in to the TVi channel.

“Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news! Nadja Chamack in the studio. Let’s talk about today’s main event — the announcement of the Everyday Hero name!” The image on the screen switched to the picture of Marinette and a diagram of her achievements. Sabine and her daughter sat on the couch; Marinette took the piece of cake and started eating. 

“... Chat Noir was asked to help this amazing young lady and the City Hall team during the preparation for the Everyday Heroes celebration. Let’s hear what he thinks about it.” Chat, standing in front of the hotel, appeared on the screen. Marinette can’t help but smile. She felt a little bit guilty for dumping these responsibilities at her partner. But she couldn’t exactly say that he was right with his joking suspicions.

“I met Marinette Dupain-Cheng several times, and I’ve realized that she's a very brave, resourceful, and creative girl. And on top of that, she’s amazingly kind and beautiful.” Chat grinned proudly at the camera. “I’m sure that together we’ll be able to organize an unforgettable holiday in your honor, dear Parisians.” He gave a two-fingered salute and took off into the sky.

Tom whistled. “What do you think, Sabine, would Chat Noir make a good son-in-law to us?” 

Marinette choked on her cake and coughed violently. “PAPA!” she cried. She suffered enough from their teasing about Adrien and then from Chat’s flirty advances, so she didn’t want these two things to merge into one powerful shove to his arms.

Sabine smacked her husband playfully on the forearm. “Tom! The boy loves Ladybug, have you forgotten?” she chided. 

“Ah, Sabine, but haven’t you seen how fondly was he speaking about our daughter? That boy is clearly smitten, he hasn’t just realized it yet. He will come to his senses, and we should help him open his eyes and stop chasing a masked dream when he can have a very real Marinette,” Tom replied with the unwavering confidence of a parent. 

“Can we not have this conversation right now?” Marinette asked, rolling her eyes. “The main goal of our collaboration isn’t to arrange our personal lives, but to make a great and memorable celebration.” She glared at her father who held up his hands with an apologetic expression.

“Okay, sweetie, as you wish.” Then a playful smile spread across the man’s face. “Though, if Chat Noir comes here someday, invite him to join us for dinner at any time convenient to him. I would like to get to know him and find out if I can trust him with my daughter.”

_ ‘If only you knew that your daughter trusts him with her life daily. But there’s no way that I can let you meet and talk about me.’  _ Marinette thought. “Okay, Papa, I’ll tell him if he shows up soon. Now I gotta go to my room. You know, homework, designs.” She laughed awkwardly and got up, nearly losing her balance. “Thanks for the cake, it was very delicious.”

“You’re welcome, dear! Be careful on the stairs!” Sabine smiled warmly. Tom just winked, waving her off.

* * *

Marinette entered her room and closed the trapdoor. She threw herself on the chaise longue and sighed dramatically. Tikki flew out from the purse and nuzzled her cheek. “How are you feeling, Marinette?”

The girl sat up, staring at her hands. The kwami landed on her palms and looked at her chosen expectantly. “Tikki, I’m… I-I don’t know what to do,” Marinette started. “How am I going to pull it off? It’s another responsibility on top of everything. An-and there’s the secret identity. What if-” she started to hyperventilate. “Maybe I can ditch it somehow?” she asked, desperation was clear in her tone. “Tell them I’m sick or very unintentionally break my leg-”

“Marinette.”

The girl continued babbling, choking back sobs. “I’m really clumsy; people will believe that. But is one broken leg enough? Maybe the neck will be better?” Marinette’s eyes welled with tears despite her will. “Tikki, I don't want to break anything. How am I going to avoid this? Maybe we can ask Trixx to do some illusi-”

“Marinette,” Tikki interrupted again, more loudly and firmly. “Nothing will happen if you calm down and think about it carefully.” The girl just nodded, sniffling, and wiping her eyes. “People believe in you. I’m sure that so many Parisians can’t be wrong about you. You can’t let them d-”

“That’s the thing!” Marinette screamed, flailing her hands animatedly. “They all expect something from me! Why? I’m just a normal girl, I haven’t done anything to gain THAT level of trust in my abilities!”

“Marinette, I’m sure that it’s just another good opportunity for you to show your talents, have some new experience, and develop your skills further.” Tikki chirped, trying to encourage her distressed chosen. “Let’s solve the problems step by step.”

Marinette wiped her eyes harshly for the last time and straightened her posture. “You’re right. Though, I’m still sure that I will need all your luck to pull it off. For now, let’s have the last normal evening with sketching, music, and pastr-”

Three knocks from above interrupted her. “Did I jinx it?” Marinette growled with irritation, standing up and going to the loft to check the balcony. Tikki took a macaron from the plate and zipped out to her hiding spot. 

Sure enough, it was Chat Noir who had knocked. He sat on the floor near the trapdoor, fiddling with something long and green between his fingers.  _ Was that a ribbon? _

When Marinette’s head popped through the skylight, the hero grinned broadly and got up. “Princess,” he bowed. “Or should I say Mademoiselle Héroïne?” He held out his hand to help her up. “Fancy meeting you here on this wonderful evening!”

“Hello, Chat Noir!” Marinette answered in a sassy tone while climbing up to the balcony and standing to her full height. “What brings you here on this wonderful evening?” She crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and pressed her lips into a thin line. “Don’t you have superhero business to do?” 

“Meowch!” Chat gasped, feigning hurt. “Why so grumpy? Is this an appropriate way to greet a friendly neighborhood superhero?” He shook his head. “I inform you that tonight, I have superhero business here with you. I was asked by Mayor Bourgeois to represent the Miraculous team at the upcoming celebration where you,” he pointed at her, smirking, “will represent the civilians. So I thought that it would be nice to talk about what is expected of us, and what we can do together to make that day even more exciting.”

“What’s so exciting about this, Chat?” Marinette exclaimed, agitated. “I didn’t even want that nomination. I’m not a big hero, I’m not saving lives everyday, only trying to do the right things. I’m not doing it in order to receive attention. I believe that kindness doesn’t need a spotlight. If people really want to do good, they should do it quietly, and not brag about it on the streets and on television.” She lowered her head and shrugged helplessly. “People deserve all the appreciation and a proper celebration of Heroes' Day. But why must I be in the front row of it? Only several hours have passed since the announcement, and I’m already overwhelmed by all this attention from strangers on the streets and congratulations from parents and messages from friends. Do I really deserve this nomination and title? I’m clumsy, often late, sometimes can’t keep my emotions in check.”

Chat was stunned by her words. He hadn’t suspected that it would bother her so much. Sure, she had been shy during some of the previous public events, tripped and mixed her words often when nervous. But at the same time she seemed so natural and confident while organizing school events with the members of the student council or hanging out with friends. She already had so much on her plate, and he along with their other classmates and people who voted for her forced this unwanted attention and responsibility on her. He felt bad for that.

A light movement around his hands brought him to reality. Chat looked at his silly creation, and the seemingly right words came to him. He licked his lips, thinking where he should start.

“Marinette, don’t sell yourself short. Of course, you deserve this title and appreciation. Do you remember how we defeated the Evillustrator? Basically, you defeated him.” She raised her eyebrow; he just nodded. “And your brave actions during some other aku-”

“But I’m not acting like a saint everytime! Do you know how many akumas I caused?” She cut off his speech, becoming impatient. “Evillustrator in particular. Glaciator, Befa-”

“Marinette,” Chat interrupted her, laying his free hand on her shoulder. She flinched; his hand stayed on the place. “From now on, you’re my partner in this adventure. I usually don’t let anyone speak ill of my partners. Even themselves.” He squeezed her shoulder lightly and winked at her; she gulped, lost in his impossibly green eyes. They seemed to suck all the anger and irritation from her, leaving behind the sense of calmness that she was used to feeling when she was by his side as Ladybug. 

“I promise to support you and protect you no matter what! Just like I do with Ladybug.” Chat held up his hand with a paper medal hanging on a green ribbon. “I suspected that you would need me to cheer you up, so I brought this for you. A golden medal; superhero edition.” He puffed his chest with pride; his eyes seemed to glow brighter in the dark. “To seal our partnership and remind you that you are a winner. People believe in you; I believe in you.”

He put it around her neck. Curious, she took it in her hands to look at it closer. A golden circle with a big black cat paw in the middle of it. It was slightly asymmetrical, with jagged edges. The contour of the paw was painted over with a pen, here and there small gaps were visible. But he made it himself and clearly put a lot of effort in it, despite the rush.

Her breath hitched; her heart swelled with gratitude.  _ ‘My sweet Kitty, my dear partner! You always know how to cheer me up and go out of your way to do it even if I’m not transformed,’ _ a thought flashed in her mind. 

He took her silence as a bad sign. His cheeks started to blush in embarrassment. “S-sorry, it’s childish and a little bit ugl-”

“No, Chat, it’s great. And very sweet, actually.” She wiped her eyes hastily from the unwanted tears and smiled at him. “I will treasure this medal; it means a lot coming from you. I’m glad that you will help me in this journey, partner.”

“That’s the spirit!” Chat exclaimed, punching the air victoriously. “You know,” he leaned closer, “it’s unusually lucky for a wielder of Destruction to have not one but two such amazing partners!”

“Flatterer!” Marinette retorted, biting back a smile.

“Okay, let’s get back to business,” the superhero schooled his expression. “I forgot to tell you that we have a meeting on Thursday with a committee. Though, I think that they should notify you directly. I thought that maybe we could discuss some general ideas now. Where do you want to start?”

Marinette sighed, slumping into the chair. “I don’t know. The organization of such a huge and meaningful event sounds scary enough. It’s like jumping off a cliff…”

“Did you know,” Chat chimed in, “about the hero named Cliff? He was quite  _ LEDGEndary _ .”

“CHAT!” Marinette groaned. “Is it a part of the deal that I must put up with your puns?”

“Princess,” the boy gasped, pretending to be hurt. “Yes! Of course! It’s a whole package! Parisians trusted you to treat me carefully and with all due respect!”

Marinette narrowed her eyes. “So, who’s the Princess here? Sounds like you.” Chat struck a pose for a minute, then both teens erupted in laughter. And just like that, unknowingly, they slipped into a familiar banter routine. 

By the time Chat needed to leave, Marinette felt at ease. Sure, her concerns didn’t vanish, but her partner had managed to decrease her anxiety over the “issue”. She watched him vaulting between rooftops, thinking  _ ‘Maybe it isn’t that bad, after all. Maybe we’ll manage to protect my secret and plan the greatest celebration.” _

* * *

Two days had passed, and Thursday came too fast for Marinette’s liking. Especially because of an important meeting that was scheduled in the morning.

The girl met her companion in front of the city hall at 8 AM. 

“Salut, Chat,” she grumbled unintelligibly, stopping in front of him. 

“Good morning!” Chat greeted her loudly with a bright smile. Then he slipped a paper cup into her hands. “Careful, it’s hot”. 

The aroma of sweetened coffee with milk hit her senses, getting her to full wakefulness. Marinette lifted her eyebrows in surprise; Chat just shrugged. 

“Figured that you’re a night owl and don’t like busy mornings, so you will need a magical brew to be ready for it,” he answered an unspoken question.

Marinette took several careful sips of hot invigorating liquid and said quietly “Thank you so much!” while they were entering the building.

Sebastian Fabron met them at the reception desk. They went through corridors filled with sleepy and indifferent clerks to the conference hall. Some of those people threw them curious glances but said nothing; only several of them greeted Fabron and nodded politely to Chat Noir and Marinette. She tensed, feeling uncomfortable; Chat completely missed those glances and whispers, marveling at the moldings on the ceiling. 

Finally, they reached the conference room, and the counselor entered first to introduce the guests to the members of the organizational committee. He sat at the head of the big rectangular table and gestured to Marinette and Chat to take the two empty seats to the right of him.

Marinette was looking around the room while Fabron explained the agenda for the meeting. Like the corridors, this room was also filled with people who fiddled with their pens or cups and wore bored or guarded expressions on their faces.  _ ‘This isn’t good. It’s like they’re ready to dismiss anything that we have to say,’ _ she thought. Seeing her tensing, Chat reached out to her hand on her knee and squeezed it reassuringly.

“What do you have to say on that matter, Marinette?” Sebastian turned back to her. 

She squared her shoulders, trying to look confident enough. “You obviously have a plan yourself. Please, tell me and Chat Noir what you have in mind already. And then we will add or suggest something from our perspective.” She smiled slightly too widely and looked at Chat desperately. He nodded and laid his hands on the table, looking at clerks expectantly.

One of them, a middle-aged woman with platinum blonde hair in a grey pantsuit, spoke in a bored tone “Why don’t we go with the usual? Let’s say, Mayor Bourgeois' ” she made air quotes, “ ‘very inspiring’ speech, a parade of people dressed colorfully like clowns, a street fair with cheap merchandise, handmade and art stuff,” she grimaced in disgust,” so-called good deeds here and there.” The woman waved her hand dismissively, as if it meant nothing. “And at the end of the celebration, a Jagged Stone concert and fireworks. And hopefully, no working hours and a possibility to hide from this mess and sleep all day at home.”

Several people laughed snidely and jeered, two of them held their coffee cups up for a toast. Fabron frowned in displeasure. “Silence! Be reasonable, speak one by one!” he yelled. Chat grimaced. Marinette’s eyes widened in bewilderment. ‘ _ Are they making fun of us? Is this some kind of sarcastic inside joke?’  _ she thought, fighting off the waves of anxiety.

"Is that all?" Marinette asked out loud, trying to sound politely. "But w-we had this during all pr-preevious Heroes’ Days. I've thought that th-this one should b-be different."

The woman leaned over the table. "Exactly, little girl," she hissed. "This scenario had been used for years, and everything had gone smoothly every time.” 

“Why should we trouble ourselves making new plans? Don’t try to fix what isn’t broken,” someone from the back of the room interjected. 

“The one time we decided to honor our superheroes," the woman spoke again, turning to Chat who cringed under her glare, "we got a destroyed city and Hawkmoth as a guest of honor. Do you want to have something similar again? Another opportunity to show your recklessness?" She sneered. "Oh, excuse me, I meant to say bravery and heroism." The woman sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. Some people smirked, the man next to her snorted and patted her shoulder. "Way to go, Catherine," someone cheered from the corner.

Chat shrinked away, shocked and saddened by such harsh words, and almost missed Marinette's clenched fists and steely determination seeping into her gaze and posture. She stood up, pushing her chair back. The shrill sound broke through the noise of the chatter. The room went silent; all eyes were on her. 

"Excuse me," she said sternly, leaning on the desk to unconsciously imitate Catherine’s previous gesture, "but my school’s student council can organize more interesting and engaging events than what you've just described. I'm appalled at this lazy, unprofessional attitude and the lack of empathy and respect. Is this how you talk to one of the heroes of Paris?” She clenched her fists again, her voice became unbearably cold. “Why are you even here if you hate such celebrations and all the good the everyday heroes and superpowered team do for Paris? "

Chat looked at her in awe, his mouth open in surprise. The room erupted in caсophony of complaints and angry screams. 

“WHAT?!”

"How dare you?!"

"Who do you think you are, you little-"

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Fabron barked, gaining control over the room again. “Let the Everyday Hero,” he emphasized those words, knocking a pencil on the table and looking intently at each clerk in the room, “who was chosen by the Parisians, speak. Please, Marinette, continue.”

"Do you want to mess up this celebration on purpose?" Marinette said with obvious disapproval, looking right into Catherine’s eyes. Everything inside her trembled from fury; adrenaline coursed through her whole body which was compressed like a spring. But she needed to tell them, to open their eyes. "Go ahead, do it, and lose what little belief the Parisians have in the mayor and his subordinates. But I don't want to participate in that. Neither does Chat, I suppose."

"R-right," the superhero managed to confirm, still awed by her warrior’s confidence.

"Sebastian! Will you let this naïve and clueless girl lead the process?" the offended woman shrieked, switching from attack mode to defense.

Fabron sighed exasperatedly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Catherine, didn’t I ask you two days ago to prepare a new, decent plan? Why did you ignore my request? Or did you think I was joking and it's just another formal trick from André's sleeve?" he asked loudly, glaring at the woman. She just blinked, stunned by his reaction. "See, I was serious. And Marinette is right.” He shrugged. “The people of Paris are already excited and looking forward to this celebration and a possibility to honor heroes among their friends. They just won't tolerate another meaningless show. So we can’t ruin this day." 

"I totally agree, even though I’m the embodiment of Destruction," Chat chimed in. "The people of Paris rallied and helped us in that seemingly hopeless battle. They deserve all the best that we can give to them."

Fabron turned back to Marinette, giving her an encouraging nod, and asked, "What do you suggest?" 

She glanced at the pile of papers in front of him. "Do you still have a list of the most voted for people? We can ask them to join us. Hear their opinions and suggestions at least, engage them in some of the activities at most." Fabron hummed approvingly, searching for a copy of the list. 

Unlike him, several clerks didn't appreciate this turn of events; it was clear from their angry whispers. "Count us out of it," Catherine announced in a minute, getting up to leave. Four people followed her, and the door closed behind them with a loud clunk. Only two clerks were left, looking quite uncomfortable after the outburst of their colleague. Marinette and Chat smiled at them. Fabron just shrugged and handed them a few papers. "Contact these people as soon as possible and invite them to meet with us on Monday. Thank you; you are dismissed. Now," he focused again on teenagers in front of him, "tell me more about how you imagine a celebration worthy of Everyday Heroes."

* * *

Marinette and Chat left the City Hall together half an hour after that. When they moved far enough from the entrance, she grabbed his hand. “Chat,” she said, and only then did he notice her shaking. She was leaning on him as if all strength had deserted her. “Can we go up to the roof? I need to breathe.” He obliged, taking her gently by the waist and lifting them up to the top of the closest house. 

They sat on the roof, turning away from the City Hall and leaning back on the chimney. Marinette grasped Chat’s hand again as if it were a lifeline. Her breaths sounded heavy, her shaking hadn’t stopped yet. Clearly, the adrenaline crash from earlier confrontation was catching up to her. The superhero looked at the girl, worried. “Marinette?”

“Wh-why were they so harsh and sn-snark-ky?” she whispered, crestfallen. “I haven’t d-done anything b-bad, they don’t even know me. I’m just a nor-normal girl…”

“Marinette,” Chat said, moving to sit in front of her. “You do realize that you’ve just told off a high-ranking official? Believe me, that conversation looked almost as scary and exhilarating as Ladybug facing an akuma.” He moved the bangs away from her face; she looked at him despondently. “I didn’t have doubts about why people chose you as an Everyday Hero. But today, I was once again convinced that you are very brave, and determined to make things right. Those are the qualities needed for a true hero.” She sniffled quietly, he rubbed her forearm gently, trying to muster the encouraging smile. “Don’t you think that me, Ladybug, and the other heroes aren’t scared when we have to face akumas and risk everything?” 

Marinette inhaled sharply, and Chat immediately regretted his choice of words. He sighed and continued, “But we need to overcome that fear and act to make things right. You did the same today. As a true hero. And defend your honor and your beliefs in situations like today is also very important. So please, don’t doubt yourself so much.” She nodded numbly, turning away from him and staring at the distance.

Chat decided to resort to a fail-safe weapon. He schooled his expression and tried to speak in the most serious tone that he was capable of. “Marinette, what do you think a chemist would say to a corrupt public servant?” She looked at him with a mix of annoyance and curiousness. “This noble cause demands that you  _ argon _ .”

As Ladybug, she rarely outright laughed at his jokes, even though sometimes only those puns kept her spirits up. But now it was so  _ spot-on _ and well-timed that she just couldn’t hold back. Marinette’s giggles turned into full and loud hysterical laughter. Chat just watched her, amused but content that his joke had the desired effect.

* * *

On Monday, Sebastian Fabron had an early lunch to finish everything early and free up the last couple of working hours. He glanced at the little electronic clock on his table and sighed. Ten minutes were left until the supposed meeting, and there were still no signs of his guests, the dozen most voted for civilian heroes.

There was a knock on his window. Fabron turned his head in that direction and saw Chat Noir hanging on his extended staff behind the glass. The counselor motioned for him to enter, and Chat jumped into the room through the open part of the window.

"I just came to say that we're all waiting for you in the courtyard," the superhero said sheepishly.

Fabron raised his eyebrow questioningly. "Why not in the conference hall, as was previously scheduled?"

Chat just shrugged."Marinette said that the atmosphere there isn't right for creating something original and great."

Fabron snorted. "Maybe. But can we at least use the usual route, through the door and by stairs?"

"Aww, Monsieur Fabron, but where's fun in that?" Chat fake-pouted. Fabron took a few moments to think about the implied offer, then sighed and held out his hand.

* * *

Four minutes later, one smug superhero and one slightly disheveled counselor entered the courtyard of the City Hall. There, under the shadow of a big three, twelve people sat in a wide circle. Fabron glanced at Chat and caught his oddly soft and proud expression. The man smirked. He didn't know if Chat and Marinette had had something more than a few encounters during akuma attacks. But his trained eye could see the meaningful details, and Fabron was certain that the young superhero had a very soft spot for his civilian companion. 

The sunbeams highlighted Marinette’s figure from behind; she seemed glowing. Suddenly, the parallel with Jesus Christ and his dozen apostles came to Fabron's mind. He blinked several times, trying to get rid of such a strange mental image.

A petite French-Chinese girl was nothing like Jesus. But she certainly had several qualities that made him think about it. There was her manner of speaking to people, kindly but firmly. Her strong belief in what she was saying. Her poise, fortitude and strength of character. The justice and the right ways to do something that she was constantly seeking. Sebastian shuddered, remembering their feud with Catherine Durand. He didn’t want to be on the receiving end of Marinette’s temper, so he rushed Chat to join the group.

People made room for the two of them. Marinette smiled warmly and gestured to the big sheet of paper on which some ideas had already been jotted down. The counselor started reading the suggestions, furrowing his brow, and mumbling words under his breath. 

“Wow,” he managed to say in the end, lifting his eyes to look around the circle. “That’s quite a bit! And very different from everything that we’ve done before during Heroes’ Days.”

“No offense, Monsieur, but the official part of previous celebrations was… ahem… left a lot to be desired,” the professor Mathis Perrot said, trying to sound polite.

“Actually, people were more attracted to unofficial events arranged by different organizations, such as mine,” Marie Guillet noted, fanning herself with a notebook branded with the logo of her organization.

“Yes, that was very touching, Marie,” Suzanne Poirier nodded, smiling wistfully. “People love interacting with your volunteers when they come to our nursing home!”

“Okay, okay!” the counselor interrupted. “Do I understand right that each of you is willing to take responsibility for these activities, thereby helping Marinette and Chat Noir organize the celebration the way they want?”

People in the circle hummed in agreement. Marinette smiled proudly; Chat patted her shoulder.

“So, let’s get into the details,” Fabron continued, taking a blank sheet of paper and a marker. “The first aid lessons...”

“Me, of course.” Armand Besson, the surgeon, held up his hand. “A group of us already volunteers over the weekends to give lessons in the local clinics and in several offices by requests. My colleagues have all the necessary equipment for that kind of demonstration.”

“Excellent,” Fabron nodded, moving his gaze to the next line. “Self defense train-”

“Me!” Raphaël Colin, the famous sportsman, exclaimed. “I have hours of teaching experience in that field. Olivier will help me, explaining how to behave during emergencies that need fast and precise reactions. And we’d like Sophia Tessier to join us. She can provide explanations on the right ways to deal with one's negative emotions and how to help prevent akumatizations of other people.” The firefighter and the psychotherapist nodded in agreement.

“That’s a very wise decision,” Fabron mused, writing down names and tasks.

“We also decided to join forces,” Suzanne and Mathis said simultaneously. 

The other laughed at their sync. Fabron remained focused, writing down suggestions by suggestions. Lifelong learning, volunteering, taking care of children and old people, creative points in this seemingly endless quest (Marinette promised to engage Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale) and more.

Chat’s suggestion to launch a battle of puns and a stand-up comedy competition caused everyone to laugh. The superhero pouted, but Marinette assured him that such an entertaining activity was also needed and would be included in the program of the celebration if he’d find a couple of judges to help him. 

Everyone was satisfied with the results of the meeting. They had established the zones of responsibility, deadlines, and the next gatherings. People left the courtyard of the City Hall, talking animatedly in small groups. Fabron also bid goodbye, walking back to his office. Chat took Marinette gently by the waist and launched them into the sky. In a few minutes, they landed on her balcony. 

“Thanks for the lift, Chat,” Marinette let him go and turned to face him. He stowed his baton on the small of his back and plopped in the lounge chair; she remained standing. “What do you think about this meeting?” he asked curiously.

“Well, it was more productive than the previous one, for sure,” Marinette nodded thoughtfully. “I’m glad that those people who also got a lot of votes joined us. Their input and points of view were very needed. And they backed up my opinion about the worthless plans of those clerks,” she said the last sentence with obvious censure.

Chat laughed at that remark. “Yes. We’ve outweighed that madame,” he sounded out the word scornfully, wincing in disgust, “and her supporters. Say, Marinette,” he got up from the chair and came closer to the girl, narrowing his eyes at her. “What do you plan to do before and during the celebration?”

Marinette backed up, glancing around nervously and avoiding Chat’s gaze. “Uhh… I… I’m gonna… run around and make sure that everything goes smoothly?” She shrugged and laughed awkwardly. 

Chat shook his head fondly. “Marinette. Don’t you think that it’s a perfect opportunity to show your talents?”

“Bold of you to assume that I want to show off, not to hide in some sort of hole,” Marinette mumbled, looking down and shuffling her foot.

Chat came even closer and lifted her chin gently, making her look at him. “Marinette. Do you realize that this event is missing one important element? Symbols. And merchandise. And who is better to complete that task than you? You’ve seen how people from the City Hall can easily mess up the entire celebration,” he made a face. “Will you trust them with that, when you could create these things so much better yourself?”

Sparks of understanding lit up in Marinette’s eyes. Chat could practically hear the gears turning in her head. She abruptly turned back and ran to her room. In a minute, she was back on the balcony again, holding her sketchbook and pencils. 

Marinette and Chat sat in the chairs and started to brainstorm. They went over the popular French symbols and things that generally meant bravery and heroism. 

“Do I look like a lion?” Chat ruffled his blonde mop of hair and let out a low growl. Marinette reached for his hand and squeezed it affectionately. “You’re just a cute kitten. Maybe someday… As for now, you have a bright and cocky personality. Just like  _ le coq. _ ” She laughed heartily at her attempt to joke.

Chat feigned pout and rubbed his eyes to hide the blush creeping on his cheeks. “Okay,” he said in a moment, “let’s talk about flowers.” And then he launched into a long explanation of meanings, the confusion between the lily and the iris as a famous French symbol, grace and colorfulness of gladiolus-

“Marianne! Yes!” Marinette interrupted him suddenly.

“...what?” Chat blinked owlishly, trying to refocus on the new topic.

“I said Marianne!” the girl exclaimed, flailing her hands. She got up and started pacing around the balcony. “She’s the symbol of freedom, the revolution! She led soldiers into the battle! Can she be the symbol of heroism?”

“Marianne… Marinette…” Chat made a weighing gesture, then joined his hands. His lips stretched in a mischievous smile. “Hey! You can play the role of a modern Marianne. You can reinvent her image, design the appropriate costume, and launch the merch line. Yeees!” He got up too, took Marinette’s hand to kiss, and then bowed to her. “Would you make something matching for your knight too?”

She giggled and bopped his nose. The gesture seemed somehow familiar, but he brushed it off. “That’s a great idea, Chat. I’ll think about it. And about our joined pattern or symbols too.”

The superhero straightened up. “Are you sure? It’s you who is the hero of the day. I’m just a supporter. A sidekick, as usual.” A frown settled on his face despite the attempts to hold a neutral expression during that statement.

Marinette scowled, crossing her arms. “Chat, don’t you dare say that nonsense again! You,” she jabbed her finger at him, “are not just someone random. You’re the greatest support that I could ask for in this ordeal. So stop self-deprecating!”

“Princess,” Chat smiled wobbly, and she could swear that she saw the tears welling in his eyes. “A hug?” she simply asked and was immediately crushed in his arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Impression?  
> Hope to produce next chapter to the next weekend. Meanwhile, you can read my other works ;)


	3. Maybe we’re lying (then you better not stay)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter offers you more Adrien POV and little bits of Ladynoir and Adrinette in addition to overworked Marinette and a lot of Marichat interactions.
> 
> Stressed Marinette in the previous and this chapters was heavily inspired by the Nelly Furtado's song "Afraid".

The next two weeks passed like a blur for Marinette. True, she hadn’t wanted this responsibility at the start, but she usually committed fully to each task she took on and was determined to do this one right as well. Then she had gotten to better know those amazing people from the dozen. They, as well as Fabron and Chat, were really helpful and gave her all the encouragement she needed to keep going. Marinette, inspired by their feedback, was determined to organize the most meaningful and engaging event that Paris had ever seen. In her book, that meant being sure that everything was running smoothly and helping everywhere she could. Or, as Tikki preferred to call it, micromanaging. 

After the refusal of the clerks from the organizational committee to collaborate with them, Marinette, Chat, and Fabron were limited in assistants. Sure, the dozen civilian heroes had joined their team, but there was only so much that they could do. 

She tried to maintain her routine lifestyle, attending at least some classes, getting homework done, participating in student council meetings, etc. On top of that, she had some meetings and a lot of phone and video calls related to the upcoming Heroes’ Day. It was one of her talents — to organize people effectively for a common cause. So she put it to good use.

That’s why she had been finding herself in Fabron’s office three early mornings in a row. Buried in piles of papers, plans, and maps, welcoming visitors and contractors, accepting reports from them, and making changes to plans, she had been leaving the City Hall long after the lunch hours. Missed meals and classes had been bothering her, but not enough to change anything. 

“Ah, but we’ll be done with preparations all too soon, and I don’t want to miss anything that I can learn here,” she had told Fabron each time when he tried to convince her to take some help. 

Every time Tikki tried to voice a concern and convince her to go easy and take a break, Marinette would argue, “You don’t understand, it’s my responsibility. How can I let all those people down at this point?” 

When Chat had tried to object, she had just shoved the croissant in his mouth. He had taken the hint and kept quiet (but only for one evening).

The fourth morning of that week wasn’t any different. She had come to the City Hall, quietly rummaged through some papers, and then took a break to sip her almost cold coffee, waiting for Raphaёl, Olivier and Sophia to show up for another check-in.

Fabron glanced at her from time to time, sitting at his desk. He had rarely seen such determination and steel will in people, even in politics.  _ ‘She could make a good mayor in the future, _ ’ he thought, observing her,  _ ‘Paris needs someone like her.’ _

Three people entered the room and greeted Marinette and Fabron. Chat Noir joined them ten minutes later. They started to discuss the arrangement of the largest and most important area of this celebration. Marinette listened to their opinions, made good comments, and gave clear directions. The rest of those present mostly nodded, sometimes asking her to explain further, and then admiring the genius of the plan.

At some point, the counselor locked eyes with the superhero and gestured at the door, hinting that they needed to talk in private. They both excused themselves and went out of the office. Marinette didn’t even notice, being completely engrossed in the conversation.

Fabron closed the door and sighed, facing Chat. “Poor girl,” he said, frowning. “She definitely has a big talent for management, and we’re lucky to have her here. But she’s clearly overworking herself.”

Chat nodded, smiling. “Yeah, she’s amazing. I see that she can even give My Lady a run for her money with all those communication skills and abilities to create complex plans!” he exclaimed proudly, but then remembered Fabron’s last words and sighed in defeat. “I know about her self-sacrificing tendencies, but I can't do anything either. She just shuts me down or tries to change the topic. And I can’t forcefully make her stop, you know?”

Fabron opened his mouth to suggest something, but at that moment the door burst open, almost hitting his back. “Oh my God, Monsieur, I’m so sorry! I’m so clumsy!” Marinette lamented, rushing to his side. “I’m so sorry! Were you hit? Are you alright?”

“Yes, I am. It was just unexpected. No harm done,” Fabron replied. “Have you discussed everything that you wanted and ended the meeting already?”

“Yes. And now we’re going to see the area where we will be located during the celebration,” Olivier Payet explained. “Need to clarify something and make adjustments. Are you coming with us?”

Both Chat and Fabron shook their heads and excused themselves, so they all parted in different directions. The counselor went back to his office; the superhero decided to go back to the school, hoping that he would see Marinette there as Adrien.

He was wrong: she skipped the day completely. Teachers didn’t seem to care; classmates also didn’t make a big deal of it, knowing about her additional responsibilities. Thankfully, Adrien didn’t have other scheduled activities that day, so he went straight home. 

The boy fell on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Plagg who had satisfied his appetite came back to his chosen and hovered over his head. 

“Whatcha think about, kid?”

“I’m worried about Marinette. She didn’t show up at school. I don’t know how the others are alright with it,” Adrien sat up and crossed his arms. His face scrunched in displeasure. “She missed most of the school week, and as far as I know, no one except Alya bothered to reach out to her and ask if she needs help.”

“It’s not like you can’t go see her as Chat Noir and maybe offer her that help if it’s needed,” the kwami prompted.

“You’re right, Plagg. I’ll go after patrol. I hope Ladybug is doing well with whatever responsibilities she has this month. Okay,” Adrien got up and went to his desk. “I also have some things to accomplish.”

Plagg just flew back to his cheese stash,  _ ‘I hope that Sugarcube can take care of that girl,’ _ he thought, shaking his head.

* * *

Meanwhile, Marinette was also back home. She was weary after her exhausting week. She had put on a happy face while greeting her parents in the bakery and eating her meal in the kitchen. But back in her room, she hadn’t even tried to hide her exhaustion.

Nevertheless, she sat at her desk, turned on her computer, and tried to continue working on something. First, it was an essay, a part of her homework. The girl typed out some sentences, then deleted them, then tried again. But exhaustion made it hard for her to concentrate, so she ended up with only a mess of words with several typos. 

Exasperated, Marinette huffed and closed the document. Realizing that she wouldn’t get anything done on that front, she decided to change the activity and do something more pleasant. She opened her inspiration folder, the one with images of Marianne and different dresses, and took blank sheets of paper to sketch her outfit for the day of the celebration.

Thirty minutes later, the floor around her was covered in crumpled papers; three broken pencils thrown among them. Marinette slumped on the desk with a dramatic sigh.

“Marinette,” Tikki asked tentatively, zooming to her. “Maybe, you should take a break?”

“You’re right, Tikki,” Marinette sat upright and rubbed her eyes. Then she eyed her chaise longue, got up, and went there. “I’ll just close my eyes and lay down a bit. Only ten minutes.”

Tikki nuzzled her cheek and curled up on Marinette’s chest. Two minutes later, only soft snores could be heard.

* * *

Marinette was drowning in the sea of papers. Or maybe it was a lake. A small one, because a lot of people were surrounding it. All their eyes were on her, but it seemed that everyone was frozen. She was suffocating, inhaling water; she waved her arms frantically, trying to stay above the surface. People just kept calling her name; concern clear on their faces, but they couldn’t move.  _ ‘I wish I could swim. Wait, I can swim, can’t I? I can’t! What’s happening to me now?’ _ she thought in a panic.

And then Chat appeared out of nowhere and jumped straight to the lake. “Marinette!” he yelled desperately, trying to get closer to her. Paper waves crashed into him, but he was determined enough to keep going, swinging his baton back and forth to clear the way.

“CHAT!”

“MARINETTE! PLEASE!”

“I- I CAN’T! HELP!”

“MARINETTE, WAKE UP!” This time Chat’s voice sounded more tiny and high-pitched.  _ ‘Tikki?’ _

“Huh?” Marinette opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. The room was dark, and she was disoriented while her brain and vision slowly adjusted. Suddenly, someone turned on the light, barely giving her time to shield her eyes.

"TIKKI!" Marinette whisper-shouted. "Guh, what time is it?"

"Um," Tikki flew closer to her and glanced at the small clock on the table. "It looks like we're late for patrol."

"Patrol? Wait, what day is it? I thought it's only Wednesday."

"Nooo," Tikki trailed, "Wednesday was yesterday. Today is Thursday and it's almost ended."

"Oh nononono! Spots on!" she yelled, then transformed, rushed to her desk, and stuffed a couple of macarons from Tikki's plate in her mouth. Munching them, she climbed hastily onto the balcony and swung into the night.

* * *

Chat sat on the edge of the rooftop, dangling his legs and whistling an upbeat tune. Ladybug crashed behind him and hurriedly jumped to her feet. Chat turned back, spooked by the loud sound, and immediately rushed to his distressed partner.

"Are you okay, Bugaboo?" he asked, looking at her sympathetically."Is there an Akuma?”

"Ah, no, everything's alright, just calculated the distance wrong while throwing the yo-yo," she straightened and waved her hand dismissively. "Sorry that I was late; civilian stuff."

"Is everything okay? You know you can talk to me if something’s bothering you," Chat offered.

Ladybug laughed a bit too loud and a bit too fake. “Everything is just peachy, Chaton! So, you take the east, I’ll take the west?”

Chat looked suspiciously at her cheerful demeanor. “Okay. But let’s meet here again, sit, and talk. We haven’t done that in ages.”

Ladybug sighed. “Half an hour wouldn’t hurt, I suppose.” 

* * *

“So, what’s troubling you, My Lady?” Chat asked when they were finally settled on the same rooftop after the patrol.

_ ‘Ugh, that annoyingly curious cat,’ _ the thought echoed in Ladybug’s head. She waved her hand. “Eh, nothing remarkable. Just a lot of things that need to be done.” 

Chat looked at her several moments, then grimaced, and opened his mouth to say something.  _ ‘Distract him! Quickly!’  _

“So, Chat, how’s the preparation for the Heroes’ Day going?” Ladybug blurted, knowing full well how it was going but pretending not to know for the sake of switching topics. He seemed to be passionate in his previous gushings about it, and she loved listening about his opinions and impressions, even though he exasperated her sometimes by his excitement. 

True, Chat’s eyes lit up immediately after her question. “Everything is amazing, My Lady! You should’ve seen how Marinette told off those arrogant clerks from the Mayor’s office when they didn’t want to do any work beyond the minimum!" He punched the air. " The counselor, Monsieur Fabron, contacted the other people that the Parisians voted for. They’ll help us to organize the entire thing! And Marinette was just bursting with ideas! And she was so kind to everyone. Well,” he shrugged, “they all are nice people, so they more than deserve that kindness. And then she combined all those ideas in one master plan, and Fabron helped...” 

He was rambling about Marinette with such a tender admiration, that Ladybug couldn’t breathe. She heard him speaking like that only when he was gushing about her superhero persona, her bravery, and beauty during the interviews. Her heart fluttered treacherously, reacting to all those passionate words.  _ ‘Maybe there’s really something amazing in Marinette if Chat Noir can see it?’ _ She brushed this thought off like an annoying mosquito and tried to refocus on her partner. He still was waxing poetic about Marinette’s organizing skills. She took in his flushed cheeks, animated gestures, glowing eyes, and joy brimming in his voice.  _ ‘Something is up.’ _ Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Chat,” Ladybug interrupted, trying to sound emotionless. “I see you’re so excited.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Chat looked at her, surprised by this obvious conclusion.

“You talk so much about Marinette,” she continued to voice her observations. “She must be a very nice person, is that so?”

“Marinette is amazing!” Chat said so dreamily, that Ladybug’s heart skipped a beat, trying to handle this intensity. “I am lucky to assist her in this adventure and to be her good friend in real… for real, I mean.” He averted his eyes and looked away in the distance. 

Something in the way that he said the word “friend” was achingly familiar, but Ladybug couldn’t decipher those weak signals from her memory at the moment. She filed this puzzle to solve later and wanted to pry more from him when he turned back to her.

“She reminds me of you, a lot. And sometimes in a not so good way,” he said wistfully, staring intently in her masked eyes.

Ladybug flinched away. “What do you mean, Chat?” she asked, horrified.  _ ‘Did he figure out my identity?’ _

He lowered his head and slumped his shoulders. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I didn’t mean to offend either of you. It’s just that she’s as stubborn as you, and tries to control everything and do all in her power and beyond that.” He glanced at her from under his lashes. “And you both think that you should carry your burdens alone.”

“Chat,” Ladybug sighed. “You know I can’t tell you much. Secret identities.”

He gave her a wry smile and stood on his feet. “I remember that vividly, Ladybug. The Guardian and you don’t need to worry; I will follow the rules. Sometimes I just wish...” he said wistfully, but then stopped abruptly, shaking his head. “Why don’t you go home and deal with the issues in your civilian life? I won't take any more of your time. See you later.” He retracted the baton from his back and vaulted off.

Ladybug groaned and hid her face into her palms. "Why is he so…" she mumbled under her breath. "As if all those people who want something from me are not enough. Now I’ve managed to offend Chat. Well, only one part of me!" She laughed awkwardly. "Okay, patrol is done, best friend is gone, time to go back home." She stood up, threw her yo-yo in the distance, and swung away.

While she was flying home across Paris, unwanted thoughts swirled in her mind. 

_ 'Maybe he's right,'  _

_ 'You're too stubborn, don't deny it,' _

_ 'No, I’m doing what needs to be done, and he should mind his own business,' _

_ 'He's my good friend for real… in real… what?' _

* * *

Chat Noir jumped down to the dark and empty alley and detransformed. Adrien reached into his pocket and fished out a piece of Camembert for Plagg; the kwami started chewing, hovering in front of the boy’s face.

“Plagg, why does Ladybug behave like this?” Adrien asked, impatient, and irritated. “I get it, identities, and all the secrets. But why does she hide even small stuff from me? Does our partnership mean anything to her, or does she see me as an annoying dork, or even… as another burden?” His eyes widened, the corners of his lips fell.

Plagg swallowed another bite and replied, “Don’t you have some other things to worry about, kid? Just like she does.”

Adrien clenched his fists. “You’re right, Plagg. She will manage on her own. Now I need to go see Marinette, maybe help her with something or at least cheer her up.”

Plagg rolled his eyes. “Whatever, loverboy. Just give me a couple more minutes to finish my cheese.”

* * *

Ladybug landed on the roof of the bakery and jumped onto her balcony. She slipped into her bedroom through the skylight and detransformed. Tikki hovered in front of her face. "What happened, Marinette?" she asked, concern written all over her tiny face.

The girl sat on her chair, closed her eyes, and sighed. "Well, Chat said that I'm stubborn, both as Ladybug and Marinette. And it does me no good, especially if I'm not sharing my responsibilities and not telling him that I'm struggling with something. Ugh, that cat, his protectiveness is overbearing.”

"He's your partner, Marinette. Maybe, you should-"

"I don't have time to worry about that! I need to continue working on merchandise items, preparing more detailed plans and lists of things needed for quests, and not to mention, sewing my costume. And then there are the school events, Manon coming over, and homework!” She gasped in horror. “Oh no, homework! I promised Ms. Mendeleiev that tomorrow I'll submit the science lab reports that I missed!" She wailed. "This is a disaster!"

"Maybe I could help at least with science labs?" an amused voice rang out somewhere from above.

Marinette spun on her chair so fast that the force of the movement almost threw her out of it. She nearly screamed, but stopped short, spotting the blond head poking through the skylight, piercing green eyes focused on her, and that obnoxious smirk that secretly made her heart beat a little bit softer every time.

“CHAT!” Marinette squeaked. “Why did you scare me like that? Oh my God, I thought I would get an aneurism!”

“Why, little hero, missed me already?” Chat said, going down to the room and sitting on the stairs to her bed. 

“You wish,” Marinette grumbled. “What are you doing here, Chat? We met today in the City Hall. And we’ll meet again on Sunday in the same place. Wait, Sunday or not?” she got up and started to look for her notebook on the desk littered with homework, sketches, and samples. 

“No, Marinette, actually, we scheduled the meeting on Monday evening,” Chat said, watching her intently.

“When?” she shrieked, dropping her notebook. “B-but I promised Nadja to babysit Manon that evening… And there is a scheduled meeting with the student council.” She looked over her desk desperately. “And I only have a rough sketch of-”

“And science lab is due tomorrow,” Chat started to laugh, but quickly shut up after he saw the horror on Marinette’s face. 

“Exactly, labs! And I haven’t been able to do experiments at all, so I have no clue what to write there.” She plopped back into her chair and clutched her head. “Disaster, this is a disaster…”

Chat got up from his chair and crouched in front of her, taking her hands in his. “Marinette, breathe,” he said, trying to make her focus on his touch and voice. She was blinking quickly to hold back frustrated tears. “Everything will be okay. We’ll solve some problems together, starting with your homework.”

Marinette looked at him incredulously. “Did you hear me, Chat? Homework seems like the smallest task at the moment. I promised so many things to so many people, I can’t let them down. What kind of hero would I be then?”

Chat let go of her hands and sighed deeply. “You know, Marinette, less than an hour ago I had an argument with Ladybug.” She knew exactly what he was talking about, but, of course, couldn’t comment anything, so she feigned ignorance. 

Chat got up from the crouch and started pacing around the room. “I told her that you two seem so alike sometimes,” he proceeded. “Today, it’s rather a problem. Marinette,” he turned in her direction and started to approach, “I can understand why Ladybug doesn't share her problems with me, even though it hurts me so much and makes me feel useless. I’m just following her lead. After all, she’s the only one who can save the day by her powers, not me.” 

Chat stopped in front of Marinette and gently lifted her chin up. “But you don’t have to bear everything alone. She doesn’t have to either, but that’s a different conversation for a different day. What matters at this moment is that I’m here for you now and during this month of preparations. Let me be the partner that I promised to be in front of all Paris,” Chat pleaded. “Let me help you at least with this small burden,” he said, pointing at the homework on her desk. “And then maybe I could help you to prepare for meetings, make some notes… or just take you out somewhere on the roof to get you inspired by the gorgeous views.”

He stood so close and looked at her with those big and earnest kitten eyes that Marinette just couldn’t object. “He’s your partner,” Tikki’s voice echoed in her head. As Ladybug, she heard that he considered her civilian self a friend. Shouldn't friends support each other in difficult times? And his words about “feeling useless”.  _ ‘Oh, my poor kitty. How could I mess up so bad? How did we get to this point?’ _ she thought, biting her lip and holding eye contact with him. She couldn’t ruin this fragile bond that only started to form between Chat and Marinette. And she certainly should’ve made it up to him as Ladybug.

Marinette nodded, afraid that a tremor in her voice would betray her worries and feelings. A blinding smile stretched across his face, and her treacherous heart skipped a beat again in the same manner as earlier while listening to his gushing after the patrol.

“Okay!” He exclaimed, sounding way more enthusiastic. “Show me those terrifying assignments, and I’ll see what kind of magic I can apply to them.”

“Please, Chat, just do not Cataclysm them, it’s too radical,” Marinette said, rummaging through her papers. “You’ve promised me a solution!”

Chat gasped. “Did I hear some puns?” Marinette just laughed, handing him the papers and a pen.

* * *

The next morning, Marinette was even sleepier than usual after last night’s study session. She dressed up and left her home reluctantly. Surprisingly, she wasn’t late for classes, but too soon, she wished it was the opposite. Then, she wouldn’t have to deal with another set of Lila’s lies that the Italian girl apparently started to spin as soon as her foot had stepped onto the school ground this morning.

“Ah, I’m so upset that I was away from Paris during the Everyday Hero election. It must be thrilling to choose candidates, to collect votes…” Lila gushed. 

Marinette gritted her teeth. She expected Lila to brag about her obviously fake achievements in front of classmates who were always listening eagerly. But she wasn’t prepared for her next words.

“It’s a shame that Parisians didn’t know much about my charity projects in Italy, the Kingdom of Achu, and other countries. If I talked more about my good deeds, I would be in the first place, not 11th.” Lila bit her lip; her eyes darted around the small crowd. “I mean, no offense to Marinette, she does a lot of good things, but, you know, the level of impact isn’t nearly the same.”

She continued, but Marinette hadn’t heard anything. The mix of fury, sadness, and self-deprecation was boiling in her chest, blocking her breathing.  _ ‘Why does she say that? Why must she trample me in the mud?’ _

A gentle touch of a hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality. Green eyes gazed at her with concern. “Are you okay, Marinette?”

For a split second, she had thought that those eyes belonged to her partner. But then, she realized that his face wasn’t masked. 

Adrien.

“No, I’m not okay,” she whispered. “Did you hear what she said about me?”

“Yes, and I can’t believe that everything is so bad. And here I was, thinking that her white lies are mostly harmless,” he sighed. “Marinette, we can't just leave it like that. 11th place, pfft,” he blew a raspberry. “As if. And I won’t let anyone speak ill about you. Especially a liar.” 

Marinette looked at him, mouth slightly agape. “How do you know that she lied about being 11th in the list?”

Adrien paused, then blinked slowly. “It doesn’t matter. Heard some rumors and names from the City Hall workers,” he said as if weighing each word. “Come on, we need to tell them.”

His hand slid from her shoulder. Marinette shuddered at the touch. Adrien grabbed her hand and led her to the crowd of classmates.

“...many people voted for her?! It means something, for sure!” they heard Alya’s raised voice. “It’s cool that you do so many good things, raise money for charity, and travel around the world. But there’s no need to underestimate the merits of others!”

“Exactly. Especially if all your claims are false,” Adrien said, squeezing through the crowd into the middle of the circle and standing in front of Lila. He dragged Marinette with him; she stood a step behind, looking at her feet.

“What?” Lila’s eyes started to fill with tears. “How can you say such things?”

“Because, I know for a fact,” Adrien hissed, “that you aren’t among the first dozen of the most voted for people! As well as not in the entire list!”

Lila frowned and crossed her arms. “Well, maybe you’ve heard fake news,” she stated defensively.

“Actually,” Marinette spoke, taking out a folder with documents from a backpack; a sheet with contacts of the dozen, certified by the mayor's secretariat, among them, “the professor Mathis Perrot is 11th in the list. I’m working with all of them on the organization of this Heroes’ Day. So no offense, Lila,” Marinette came closer to her, “but you need to improve the reliability of your fairytales.”

Lila huffed; her face was becoming red with anger and embarrassment. “Fine,” she seethed, “have your moment of fame, Marinette!” She turned back and stormed away.

Alya immediately rushed to Marinette’s side to hug her best friend. “I’m sorry, girl,” she said quietly. “Now I see that she’s the jealous one.”

Adrien came to hug her from the other side. Nino joined this group hug too. Marinette can’t help but feel something familiar in the way that Adrien’s arms felt around her. Her mind wandered back to Chat. She remembered his awed expression during the argument with Catherine and thought that he would be proud of how they just handled Lila.

* * *

Adrien couldn’t resist visiting Marinette again that evening as Chat Noir. He was flabbergasted by Lila’s blatant and bold lie. And by Marinette’s reaction. He had heard her quiet remarks in class several times but had no idea how Marinette knew that Lila loved to exaggerate things and spin some tales. Up to this moment, he thought that the Italian girl only had been trying to catch more attention in the new environment. Boy, he’d been wrong! 

It had cost him a lot of effort to restrain himself and not to Cataclysm her or simply claw her eyes out. He was still fuming with rage and couldn’t understand how they managed to solve the problem rather peacefully. 

“How dare she offend Marinette like that?” he had been ranting to Plagg afterward when they had gotten home. “Lies are one thing, innuendos and insults are another.” 

Plagg had just shrugged. “Evil is lurking around, even among the civilians. You did right, kid. Just be careful from now on.”

Chat Noir tried to choose the right words and conversation starters but forgot his prepared phrases when he saw Marinette smiling on her balcony. She spotted him too and waved enthusiastically.

“Chat!” she exclaimed, “come on down, I want to show you something.”

They went into her room. He sat on one of the chairs while she was searching for something in the folders of her computer.

“Look!” she announced proudly, turned the monitor slightly in his direction, and started clicking through the images. Those were mockups of merchandise items. Cups, shirts, bags and backpacks, notebooks, pillows, patterned raincoats, and umbrellas. All those symbols of bravery and heroism that they had discussed earlier were put onto things in different combinations. And then there was their joint pattern: cat’s paws and cherry blossoms. He hadn’t heard the clacking sound but was sure that his jaw hit the floor sometime during the demonstration. 

“So, what do you think?” Marinette asked sheepishly, closing the last picture and focusing on him again. 

He searched for appropriate words in his head, but couldn’t come up with a coherent answer so fast. “Have- have you made it all by yourself?” he finally managed to ask after several moments of gaping like a fish.

Marinette smirked playfully. “Why, Chat, do you doubt my abilities? As I recall, it was you who encouraged me to try and design some souvenirs. Yes, I designed them.”

“You’ve outdone yourself!” Chat exclaimed. 

Marinette just laughed again. “But wait! You haven’t seen the main thing yet!” she gestured to the box sitting on the chaise longue. “Go open it!”

Chat looked between her and the box curiously. He got up and went there, stopping in front of it. He opened the lid carefully and gasped. A crafted leather jacket laid there, slick material shone dully in the electric light. He took it out of the box, opened it, and began to examine it, mindful of his claws. 

Each pocket was decorated by a part of their joint pattern. There was also a big neon green paw on the back; one flower was placed instead of one of the toe beans.

“Try it on!” Marinette encouraged. Chat obliged, putting the jacket on. Of course, it fit perfectly and was almost indistinguishable from the material of his suit.

“A seamstress friend helped me cut and sew this,” the girl explained. “And then I decorated it myself. Do you like it?”

Chat, who was spinning in front of the mirror, stopped and turned back to her with big excited eyes. “YES!” he cried. “This… this is the most precious thing someone ever gifted to me.” Except a blue scarf, of course, but he couldn’t say anything about it so as not to give away his identity.

Marinette blushed fiercely at the praise. “T-thank you,” she stammered. “I’m glad that you liked it.”

“What about your costume?” Chat asked, folding the jacket carefully and placing it back into the box.

Marinette sighed, fiddling with her hands. “It’s still waiting. I tried to sketch, but nothing worthy came out.”

“Hey,” Chat came closer and put his hand on her shoulder. “Maybe, we could do more research and brainstorm ideas together. You’ve made such a beautiful thing for me, how can I let you go celebrate without a gorgeous costume?”

Marinette looked at him hopefully and nodded. “Come on,” she gestured to her computer.

* * *

Adrien got home way past midnight. He was yawning all the way, fearing that he’d crash into something or drop the box with the jacket. He slid into his room through the open window, dropped the box carefully onto the bed, and detransformed.

Plagg took in his soft eyes and goofy smile and whistled. “Wooo, boy, you got it soooo bad!”

“What?” Adrien focused his gaze on him, looking dumbstruck.

Plagg rolled his eyes. “I need more cheese to deal with it.” He zipped to the mini-fridge, shouting “What are you waiting for? Try your new thing on.”

Adrien went to his closet to choose something to complement the black leather item. He changed into tight black jeans and a green t-shirt, then opened the box and put the jacket on. He carefully took the scarf hanging on the back of the chair and wrapped it around his neck, enjoying the sensation.

He went to the big mirror to take a look at himself. Plagg followed him and hovered over his head laughing. “Hahaha, kid, do you think that bad boys from your favorite movies would wear a baby blue scarf with a badass leather jacket?” The kwami nestled himself on the blond head of his chosen. “You’re such a softie sometimes; I wonder how the Guardian managed to see the ability to wield the Destruction in you.”

Adrien frowned. “Stop teasing, Plagg!” he exclaimed, agitated. “It’s not like I would wear this jacket in public as Adrien unless I can convince Marinette that I’ve gotten it from Chat Noir somehow.” He started to unwrap the scarf from his neck when his fingertips felt something rough under the stitch. He carefully examined it and found… a hidden signature.

Marinette.

“Wh-what does it mean, Plagg?” Adrien asked, his voice trembling. “D-did F-father buy it from her?”

Plagg sighed and flew in front of Adrien’s face. “Listen carefully, kid” he started, trying not to be too rude or cruel. “What are the odds that your father, who bought you a simple pen for each birthday, suddenly decided to give you something exceptional like this scarf?” 

Adrien lowered his gaze back to the item. “Not much,” he whispered, realizing the horrible truth.

“What are the odds,” Plagg continued, “that a lovely girl from your class decided to make a gift for you that somehow was lost because of a misunderstanding?”

“Marinette… But why didn't she say anything back then?”

Plagg narrowed his eyes. “Do you remember how happy you were that your father had gotten you such a nice thing? Maybe, she decided not to ruin your happiness, sacrificing such a small thing like credit for her work.”

“Sacrificing her own happiness in favor of others’ wellbeing,” Adrien mulled over this thought. “This is so her! So kind, and so heroic. Who even could doubt it?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Plagg flew to the bed and plopped onto the pillow. “No wonder that people chose her as an Everyday Hero!” he declared a bit too loudly. “And that the Guardian gave her the earrings,” he mumbled under his breath, so his chosen couldn’t hear him. “If only you weren't as dense as a brick and could connect the dots on your own. Everyone would be happier.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the last! What will hapen? An akumatization? A fight? A kiss? A reveal?  
> We'll see in a week 😉 stay tuned!


	4. And we kissed, as though nothing could fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back with the last update! Get ready for the celebration and fluff overdose!  
> And yes, I couldn't resist using the song that started it all and was the main influence for this story.  
> I'm talking about [David Bowie's "Heroes"](https://bit.ly/3kzu9DW). The original song is legendary, but [the cover from Depeche Mode](https://bit.ly/3crChUt), my "best band", gives me life, and its sound suits perfectly for Paris and the particular setting of the final scene. So keep it in your mind or listen to it along the lines for stronger effect 🤩

Marinette had asked Sabine to wake her up before the bakery ‘s opening. In the early morning, the woman had helped her daughter to dress up and get her hair done. 

The young designer had made a white fitted blouse with subtly embroidered small cat paws and flowers on the collar, and a red knee-length A-line skirt. A blue scarf, purse, and flats completed her look. She switched her usual pigtails for a low bun and decorated it with a red ribbon.

Sabine examined her daughter’s appearance with admiration. “You look gorgeous, Marinette!” she gushed, “These clothes look indistinguishable from the work of a professional! You’ve developed your skills so well!”

“Ah, Maman, stop,” Marinette giggled. “You know that I need to learn so much more before I can call myself a professional designer.”

Sabine gave her a one-sided hug and kissed her forehead gently. “Yes, sweetie. But I know that you’ll get there eventually.” The woman went to the trap door. “I need to go back to open the bakery. Have fun!” she said, winking, and closed the hatch above her head.

Tikki immediately flew from her hideout and whirled round. “You look exceptional in it, Marinette!” the kwami exclaimed. “I love your look in my suit, but you really outdid yourself with it!” She pressed herself to her chosen’s cheek. The young hero stroked her head gently and went to the mirror to adjust her clothes for the umpteenth time.

“Don’t worry, Marinette, everyone will like your look!” Tikki chirped, hovering nearby. “I’m sure that Adrien will be enthralled with your beauty too!”

Marinette froze. She suddenly realized that she had had almost no time to think about Adrien, except those times when they had interacted at school. Instead, she spent more and more time with Chat and was focused on his opinion about everything, including her festive attire. 

“I hope he will,” she muttered, trying not to give away her realization.

At 8AM Marinette and Chat Noir were supposed to give a small interview with the morning TV show, so the superhero had promised to give his companion a lift. Marinette packed some macarons in her new purse, waited for Tikki to settle there comfortably, and went up onto the balcony to bask in the rays of the morning sun.

Several minutes later she heard a thump behind her. She turned to him, but the greeting stuck in her throat. Chat looked dashing in his leather jacket. It seemed that his kwami had slightly adjusted his suit to match with the garment. For a second, Marinette imagined him strutting down the runway in her designs. ‘Maybe even along with Adrien!’ She swooned at the thought about two blond boys modelling together and winking at photographers. 

Chat blinked, stunned by the vision before him. Yes, he had helped her come up with the ideas and details for it. But reality was totally a different story. He gulped. Yes, he called her Princess so many times and even compared her to many Disney princesses, much to Plagg’s amusement, but he could never imagine that the seemingly simple outfit would highlight her natural beauty so well. _‘You’re in trouble, boy,’_ Plagg’s statement from earlier echoed in his head. 

After a couple of minutes of a staring contest, Tikki nudged Marinette from inside the purse. She came to her senses and grinned awkwardly.

“Great cook! I mean create look!” She winced. _‘Why am I stammering?’_

He shook the thought away and smiled softly. “You look spectacular, Princess,” he murmured, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. “And your loyal knight is ready to carry you to the TV tower.” The light blush was visible below the edges of his mask. He extended one hand and took the baton in another. "Shall we?"

* * *

The journey to the TV station seemed too short. Chat put a slightly dazed Marinette on the ground, visibly reluctant to let her go. She adjusted her skirt, and they entered the building.

Twenty-two minutes later, they sat in the studio in front of Alec Cataldi, answering his questions about the events of the day. Marinette gushed about all the planned activities and how each of them was important to Parisians’ everyday life. Chat inserted rare but apt remarks here and there.

Time was almost up when Marinette noticed a mischievous glint in Alec's eyes. _‘Oh no, is he about to ask what I think he’s going to ask?’_

"As we all know," the anchor turned to Chat, "Ladybug made it clear that she doesn't mix feelings and responsibilities. But maybe," he glanced at Marinette, "our new hero would be able to woo the one and only Chat Noir instead. What would you say, is Marichat possible?"

Both teens gaped at the man wordlessly. Chat’s mind was back again to Plagg’s teasing which had become more frequent and persistent during this past month. As if his kwami had tried to push him down some path, but he could not understand his directions. 

True, in this month he had rarely seen her at school as Adrien, but had had enough close interactions with her as Chat. This new perspective had managed to change his perception of her. But he still wasn’t sure what exactly he wanted. Could he be happy with Marinette and really give her his heart someday? Wouldn’t the mask become an obstacle to the relationship?

Meanwhile, Marinette was overwhelmed with panic. She wasn't ready to admit that sometime during this month she had started to have almost identical warm and confusing feelings for Chat and Adrien. They grew stronger and stronger and were threatening to overwhelm her completely. So she used the last ounce of her self-control to remain silent and not to cause another disaster during a live broadcast.

She snuck a glance at Chat who looked aside wistfully and opened her mouth to answer something. But someone from the team hissed in Alec's earbud "Time's up!". The host said, turning to the camera with a sickening smile. "Well, I guess that we'll get an answer to this question later! Have a great celebration, Parisians!"

As soon as they were off-air, Chat grabbed Marinette's hand and led her out of the studio. They got in the elevator, which was unfortunately full. Both teens looked at each other in disappointment, knowing that some things needed to be discussed. But the only opportunity was lost.

Those two minutes of ride were awkward. Marinette decided to postpone the conversation for another time. ( _‘It’s really not the best time and place to discuss such things!’_ ), so she tried to pretend that nothing had happened. She turned to the mirror and made a show of fixing her hair and applying lipstick. She was surprised when she glanced at Chat’s reflection and noticed him staring at her with a mix of longing and curiosity. 

The elevator’s doors opened. They exited the building in silence before greeting Fabron and his driver who were accompanying them to the Champs de Mars.

* * *

They got away from journalists , but not from cameras. The City Hall had a contract with TVi about exclusive coverage. For the whole day, several operators followed Marinette and Chat around to broadcast all the activities. Fabron accompanied them too, keeping a short distance.

All of them were exhilarated to see that everything was working smoothly. Marinette couldn’t help but admit that at least half of the featured activities would be useful for them as heroes. Ladybug and Chat Noir had been forced to learn the ropes in the heat of the battle without proper training. So now they had a perfect opportunity to fill in the gaps in their knowledge and skills.

Of course, both heroes (as well as the temporary members of their team) could perform a lot of impressive tricks and moves. But they knew only the basics of first aid, and it might not be enough to save each other if they really needed it. So, at their first stop, they followed precisely all the instructions of Armand Besson and his friends, encouraging other people to join.

Yoga and meditation lessons were the next. Marinette was more experienced thanks to Sabine’s coaching, but Chat seemed very interested. He told her that he could sit or stand perfectly still for a long time, but his mind was always racing, and hard to calm down, so this knowledge could help.

Then, they got some popcorn and cotton candy and went to the stage where the pun battles were supposed to happen. Everyone present cheered and welcomed the heroes of the day with vigor. Chat listened to a couple of battles and then decided to switch focus. He announced a competition of compliments to Marinette. Several boys and girls volunteered to participate, and she quickly turned into a blushing and stuttering mess. Chat playfully declared that he could surpass the winner with the months of practice in flirting with Ladybug, but Marinette was already dragging him away to the next activity. He pouted but promised to lavish her with the kindest words later.

They went to the most anticipated destination. Dealing with emergencies was basically the specialty of superheroes. But sometimes it was hard to collect themselves and make the right decision immediately in the heat of the battle. Besides, they had a lot on their plates in their civilian lives, so the risk of akumatization was quite high. So the tips on how to stay calm and collected under the pressure were needed. For Parisians at risk of becoming the victims of manipulative supervillains, it was also vital. The same could be said about the ways to manage negative emotions without suppressing them or faking positivity. 

Both Marinette and Chat took notes and practiced some exercises. Even Fabron seemed interested. Then, they listened to a short lecture about time-management and had a small lunch break to taste hero-themed cupcakes with lemonade. While Marinette was searching for a free table, Chat managed to snatch a pink rose from somewhere and presented it, gazing at her with soft eyes full of admiration.

She nearly dropped the tray with lemonade glasses on the ground. She had rejected his roses as Ladybug countless times. But this situation felt different somehow. Maybe, it was because of the flower’s color. Maybe, because it was meant for Marinette (even though she was kind of Ladybug’s equal for the day). The most likely, it was because of his look and tone of voice -- softer, more sincere and… vulnerable?

Luckily, Fabron took the tray from her hands to avoid the disaster. She accepted the rose and sniffed it, enjoying the scent. Chat took it back and gently placed it in her bun, mindful of his claws. He carefully smoothed out a couple of loose strands, and her heart skipped a beat. Sure, he was gallant with Ladybug and never hesitated to put himself in danger, protecting her. But she couldn’t remember such tenderness directed at the superheroine. 

Marinette shoved a cupcake in her mouth to stop herself from saying something stupid, mindful of the eyes on them. Chat wasn’t better: he pretended to examine a cat-like decoration on one of the cupcakes, but in reality he was hyper aware of the girl beside him and each of her movements. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of magic Marinette had pulled on him to refocus all his thoughts on her. 

After that, they went to the alley of artisans to look around and buy some souvenirs. Chat chose a headband with cat ears for Marinette. They were done so masterfully and looked almost like real ones, except not moving. “Now we match; you’re a charming kitty too,” Chat said, putting it on her head carefully so as not to ruin her hairstyle. Marinette looked at the mirror and giggled. _‘She’s so cute with them,’_ Chat thought, feeling the blush spreading over his cheeks.

Meanwhile, she chose a lovely hair clip with a big cherry blossom flower, gently picked up some of his wild locks hanging on his forehead, and pinned them to the side. “See, now the flowers in our hair are matching too,” she chuckled. Chat gasped, looking at the mirror. “Now I’m like a princess too,” he declared, turning back to her. She heard his “Thank you” and the distinct voices of other customers, but couldn’t utter a single word, lost in different shades of green mixed in his eyes.

Fabron checked the time, watching them. They need to move forward in order to visit every place before the concert. So, before they got too lost in each other, he called them loudly and gestured to the “old children” area. Both teens nodded, paid the vendor despite his protests, and followed the counselor. 

Suzanne Poirier and Mathis Perrot decided to bring together kids and senior citizens to help both groups socialize and learn something new. The atmosphere here was quite noisy and lively, but it seemed like no one was bothered by it. 

Marinette and Chat had to separate to greet more people. She exchanged fashion opinions with two old ladies, politely laughed at the joke of their friend, an old gentleman, and soothed one distraught little boy, introducing him to the trio.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you here, young hero,” said the achingly familiar voice. She turned back slowly. Her suspicion was confirmed: behind her stood Master Fu. She stretched her lips in an awkward smile. 

“Mast- I mean Monsieur! Nice to meet you too!” She glanced around to make sure that no one was eavesdropping. “What are you doing here?”

Fu stroked his beard. “I came here to meet potential customers and buy some supplies at the alley of artisans. And maybe have a chance to meet two incredible young people who protect Paris and make life here safer and better in their own ways.”

Marinette blushed. Fu just nodded with a small smile. “You’re doing great, young lady. I’m completely sure now that I’ve made the right decision to appear in your way several months ago. Paris can trust you with its safety. I can say the same about your partner. You two seem to work so well together.”

Marinette gaped at him several seconds after the praise. Two familiar little girls, Alya’s sisters, tore her out of her stupor. “Marinette! You’re here! Play with us!” they demanded. The old Chinese man just winked at her and waved goodbye. She turned to girls and patted their heads gently.

“Hey, girls!” she smiled warmly at them. “Are you here with Alya? Or Nora?” 

“Ah, here you are, girl!” Alya and Nino’s appearance answered her questions. 

“Finally, we caught the star of the day! We’re so proud of you, girl, and everything that you’ve done here!” Alya gushed animatedly. “And you look amazing! This is even better than those photos that you sent me earlier!” Nino just nodded in agreement and showed a thumbs up, glancing at Chris who was arguing about something with an old man nearby.

Chat had just finished talking to two old men about the advantages of the justice system in their days. He stood, leaning on a partition between zones, and watched Marinette being engrossed in a conversation with their friends.

“I see that you two have made a good team,” a male voice said from his right, spooking him.

“Monsieur Fabron,” Chat huffed, recognizing the person, “you should know better than to sneak up on a superhero. I might mistake you for an akuma,” he flexed his clawed fingers. Fabron just smirked at him. 

Chat turned his head back to Marinette’s direction when he heard her shrieking playfully. “So?” Fabron nudged. 

“Ah, yes, we did. She’s wonderful,” the superhero sighed. “Marinette really deserves the spotlight. She did so much for this celebration! And have you seen this amazing merch?” Chat puffed his chest in pride, then showed off the paw imprinted on his back. Fabron laughed at his antics and patted his shoulder.

“You better keep her around, young man!” Fabron said, pretending to be stern. Chat’s eyes widened. “I’m serious,” the counselor continued. “Try as you may, you’ll never find another girl like her. Yes, I know,” he hurried to say, seeing Chat ready to object, “that you’re devoted to Ladybug and all. Yes, that girl does unbelievable things, fighting villains daily by your side and restoring the city even better than it was before. But!” he held up his index finger. “But this girl can treat old people, children, officials, and average citizens equally kindly and honestly. I’m telling you from all my experience in politics and public administration that not everyone can call out officials and express their opinion honestly, facing them. And yes, both your costumes and the rest of the merchandise seem to have a high quality and a lot of creativity put into it.”

Chat licked his lips and said slowly, “Yes. I’m very happy to have her among my friends.”

Fabron narrowed his eyes at him. “And you want nothing more?”

Chat fidgeted nervously with his tail. “I mean-”

The man sighed. “You’re lying to yourself, boy.” His phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered the call. “Yes. Old children. Be there in ten.” Fabron ended the conversation and went to call Marinette, leaving the confused superhero behind. 

* * *

Marinette had never made a speech in front of so many people. She had discussed this part of the celebration with Tikki before, and the little kwami told her that the best way is to speak sincerely from the heart. That was what she was going to do. She reached blindly and gripped Chat’s hand for additional support. He didn’t question her, just squeezed lightly in return.

Jagged’s technicians did the last check of all the equipment on the stage. A host guided Marinette and Chat to the stage and introduced them to the people. Loud joyful screams and applause greeted them. The girl took the microphone and started to speak.

“I thought that I was just a normal girl with a normal life. But my friends and all those people who voted for me made me realize that I can be a hero. Today with a special title, every day in heart and in small actions.” She looked around. “I’m so happy and proud that so many amazing people joined me and Chat Noir during the organizational process, and that you all are enjoying it today with us.”

Chat, who stood quietly by her side, nodded in agreement. He also felt delighted with how the celebration went. They did a great job, and this moment was the culmination. So many happy people in colorful clothes were cheering in response to Marinette’s words. His lips slowly stretched in a content smile. Seemingly nothing could spoil this moment of glory for Everyday Heroes.

A sharp intake of breath from his right caught his attention. He perked up, noticing that Marinette became tense, looking intently at the distance. But she continued her speech anyway. “Evil is lurking around, waiting for an opportunity to take advantage of our weakness. We shouldn’t suppress our sadness, anger, and frustration, but we can fill our lives with kindness and try to keep each other safe-”

Loud screams interrupted them at that exact moment. The crowd parted instantly, running away in panic. Chat immediately got the baton from behind his back and switched into defensive mode. He spotted a purple butterfly, hovering around… Catherine Durand? _‘Oh, the irony. That woman who ranted about the danger from changes in the scenario, brought it here herself.’_

He wasn’t expecting a blur of red, white, and blue sweeping by him with a hurricane speed. He could only gape at that, slowly realizing that his civilian friend (partner even, as he told her on a multiple occasions) rushed headfirst to stop the evil.

His heart squeezed painfully in his chest at the thought that the unarmed girl could be injured in an unequal battle. _‘PROTECT!’_ flashed in his mind as some kind of a command from a primal instinct. 

“MARINETTE, NO!” he shouted, running after her. She was already kneeling in front of the woman who began to be enveloped in purple smoke. 

* * *

Marinette noticed the butterfly flying from behind the stage in the middle of her speech. She started scanning the area immediately and spotted Catherine gritting her teeth and fuming with anger. The akuma was too close, but people had only started to notice. So Marinette shoved the microphone in the host’s hands and ran from the stage to get there before it would be too late.

The purple mask was already on Catherine’s face. Her eyes glinted dangerously; her teeth were gritted. The irony hadn’t been lost on Marinette, but she was focused on saving a civilian. The trained Ladybug eye slid across her figure, trying to identify the item that the akuma could have possessed. She spotted a big ring with a ruby that was glowing a little on her right middle finger. That must have been it.

“OBEY,” the cold voice of the manipulator said inside Catherine’s head.

“RESIST!” the desperate voice of the hero shouted from the outside. “Don’t give him any chance, Catherine! Do you hear me, Hawkmoth?! You’ve already spoiled one celebration; I won’t let you do it again!” She grabbed the woman's shoulders and shook her. “RESIST!” 

Catherine stilled completely, the purple smoke that had already reached her waist stopped. Everything and everyone around went silent. 

Marinette took this moment of hesitation as a cue to reach to her hand and slid the ring off. The purple mass vanished, leaving the befuddled woman on the ground. 

The akuma flew away. Marinette subtly glanced inside her purse; Tikki nodded, understanding the request even without words. She phased through the material and went for the akuma, trying not to get caught.

Trembling, Catherine opened her eyes and slowly focused on the girl in front of her. “I was akumatized,” she stated in a raspy voice.

“Almost. But you resisted.” Marinette pointed out calmly.

Several long moments of silence passed between them; both forgot that people were watching.

“I guess I did,” Catherine managed at last. “But I shouldn’t have been akumatized in the first place.” She got up slowly; Marinette also stood on her feet. 

“Maybe I should’ve rested at home as I had planned to do,” she grumbled, looking towards the stage where the concert was about to begin. “Too much noise and chaotic energy here.” Catherine turned her head back to Marinette and said, “Have a good evening, heroes.” The last word didn’t have as much venom as it did earlier. The girl only nodded in response.

The woman walked away. Chat immediately appeared by Marinette’s side; she all but collapsed in his arms, shaking. Exhaustion, stress and an outburst of adrenaline caught up with her. She felt drained, as if she had lent Catherine all her strength to fight off Hawkmoth and she had any left to continue celebrating.

Chat hugged her, whispering frantically, “You’re okay, oh my God, you’re okay. What were you thinking, Marinette?! You could have been injured so easily.” He took a shuddering breath. “I was so afraid that I couldn’t protect you, that… that I could lose you. Marinette…”

‘ _We were one step away from another hero-branded disaster_ ,’ she thought. ‘ _It could escalate so easily-_ ’

Images from the previous Heroes’ Day and the toughest battle that they’d ever faced flashed in her mind. She buried her face in Chat’s chest, seeking his warmth and comfort. Her breaths were rapid and shallow; her hands were clutching the scarf at her neck. 

The tight circle of people still surrounded them. Worried glances and muffled questions didn’t help Marinette’s condition in the slightest. Annoyed, Chat asked people to disperse and held Marinette tighter, murmuring comforting words in her ear. Meanwhile, Fabron called Sophia Tessier to ask for advice on how to help. In a few moments, he gave the phone to the superhero.

“Chat, take her somewhere safe and more or less quiet,” ordered the female voice through the speaker of the phone. “Sebastian will provide you with water and sedatives. Don’t leave her alone, please.”

“Will do!” he promised and ended the call. “Where could we hide from the noisy crowd, while not going too far from the celebration?” Chat said to the counselor, rubbing the circles soothingly on the girl’s back. 

Fabron scanned the area, frowning. His gaze stopped at the top of the Eiffel Tower. “Well, I might have an idea,” he said, unsure, “but I need to make a couple of calls to get access there. Wait here for a moment.”

* * *

Marinette didn’t remember how they had gotten up there, on the highest level of Paris’ most famous landmark. Maybe they had used the elevator, maybe Chat had carried her up the stairs bridal style. Or maybe he had used his baton to launch them up in the sky. She didn’t want to know neither his ways nor the amount of time that she spent trembling in his arms, lost in her thoughts and crushed under the weight of exhaustion. 

The moment of Catherine’s near-akumatization replayed in both of their minds. Marinette didn't know what came over her, why and how she rushed to confront the woman without her magical attire. She felt Tikki press into her thigh through the purse again, giving her a small comfort. She’d like to talk with her kwami about that, but Chat was right here, so it wasn’t possible. But Tikki’s previous words, “You’re the real power behind Ladybug’s image, not my super-strength.” echoed in her mind, giving her the answer. In costume or not, she was the hero who just couldn’t leave another person in trouble.

Chat, on the other hand, was reminded of the Stoneheart attack, of the passionate speech of Ladybug who stood up against Hawkmoth. He saw the same in Marinette today: her sheer determination and bravery, her acting on instinct, and rushing into the fight without a second thought. He had been terrified that the akumatized Catherine would hurt her. But at the same time, he was in as much awe as he had been back then, looking at Ladybug cleansing butterflies on the Eiffel Tower. He briefly wondered what he would’ve felt if Marinette was the girl under the mask. His heart stopped for a second, then restarted with a renewed vigor. He finally realized that he was already in love, and he would be the happiest guy in the world if the two best girls that he knew were one.

Marinette finally recognised the place where they were as Eiffel’s apartment. The small dark room that held the memories of angry kissers attacking Chat, and his other sacrifice to keep her safe and win some time. She smiled and snuggled closer to him. The lulling rhythm of a steady heartbeat, mixed with barely audible purring, was like an anchor in the stormy sea of feelings. His warm embrace felt like the safest place in the world right then. 

They just sat there for a while, snuggled into each other, breathing deeply, relishing each other’s presence. Then the music from the concert came through the slightly ajar door. Jagged’s hits followed one another; the crowd’s cheering was heard even on the top of the tower. 

“Well, this day could’ve ended much better,” she whispered mournfully. 

“Everything went great, Marinette!” Chat said, trying to sound encouraging. “Well, almost everything,” he said sheepishly when she shot him a look of disbelief. Then he got animated. “But have you seen how many people participated in all those activities? How many people joined the team earlier to help you and came here today to show their appreciation to you and other civilian heroes? It’s amazing!” he exclaimed.

She sniffled in response. “I just broke down in front of everyone. And now we’re missing Jagged's concert. I waited for it as a reward for all this madness. And you’ve told me earlier that you’ve seen him live only once. And now you’re missing this perfect opportunity because of my stupid break down.” She sighed dejectedly.

Chat leaned back to look at her. “Marinette, don’t even start now. Your wellbeing is the most important,” he said earnestly. “Besides, I’d rather be with you here right now than anywhere with anyone else.”

She laughed. “Okay, I get it. Thanks for always being by my side.”

“And now for all of you, brave and amazing Parisians,” Stone’s voice was heard from below, “a cover of David Bowie’s hit as my final song. We can be heroes just for this day!” The crowd erupted in applause, screams, and whispers. Chat’s ears perked up. Marinette sighed.

The song had started playing. Chat’s eyes darted around; he jumped to his feet. “Hey!” he extended his hand to the girl, who was sitting on the floor and gawking at his sudden movement. “Come on, let’s go outside! I know just the spot with the best view!” 

**_I_ _  
_ _I will be King_ _  
_ _And you_ _  
_ _You will be my Queen_ **

Marinette took Chat’s hand to get up. They overcompensated for each other's strength, so she ended up in his arms. Her breath hitched at close proximity; the faint blush peeked from under the edges of his mask. They quickly leaned away from each other. Chat opened the door, letting Marinette exit the room first. 

She had already seen night views of Paris from up above, but this time was different. The city was lit even more because of the celebration; the street traffic was pulsating according to the rhythm of the song.

Cool evening air made her shiver. She felt the weight of the leather jacket lowering on her shoulders and said quietly “Thank you!”, looking at the distance. 

**_Though nothing_ _  
_ _Will keep us together_ _  
_ _We can beat them_ _  
_ _Forever and ever_ _  
_ _We can be heroes_ _  
_ _Just for one day_ **

“Shall we dance, Super-Marinette?”

The girl turned back to the boy who was smiling broadly, swaying in time with the music. He obviously enjoyed Jagged’s performance and knew the lyrics by heart. 

She marveled at his uninhibited attitude and his freedom. He was totally free and reveled in it. He didn't care that he looked like a dork or that she would judge him (she wouldn't, of course). He just sang loudly and performed somewhat ridiculous but surprisingly graceful moves.

**_And you_ _  
_ _You can be mean_ _  
_ _And I_ _  
_ _I'll drink all the time_ **

The narrow corridor around Eiffel’s apartment was too small for a dancefloor, but Chat owned all of it. Marinette gazed at him fondly, catching his wink and wriggled eyebrows and the silent invitation to participate. She slowly started copying his movements. Noticing it, Chat smiled even wider, his face about to split with the joy of the moment between them. He approached Marinette and took her hands in his, trying to engage her more in the dance. A step further, step closer. Twirl around. Eye contact.

**_’Cause we're lovers_ _  
_ _And that is a fact_ _  
_ _Yes we're lovers_ _  
_ _And that is that_ _  
_ _Though nothing_ _  
_ _Will keep us together_ **

After one of the twirls, they came chest to chest. Marinette looked up and made eye contact with Chat. He held her loosely in his arms, feeling warmth slowly filling his chest. 

The boy under the mask was thinking that he had always felt something special for Marinette, something different from his other friends. Constant teasing from Plagg and Fabron’s nudges had made it even stronger. So here he was, in the most romantic spot of Paris, singing one of the greatest songs in the world, and holding close one of the prettiest girls that he knew. 

**_Just for one day._ **

Tomorrow this adventure would end, and they would be back to square one. But how could he, Adrien, pretend that nothing had happened between them in this month and on this day in particular? 

**_I wish I could swim_ _  
_ _Like the dolphins_ _  
_ _Like dolphins can swim_ _  
_ _Though nothing_ _  
_ _Will drive them away_ **

Her blue eyes reflected the sparkles of the electric lights that were surrounding them. They shone with undiscovered desires and powerful emotions. So familiar, as if it all was a reflection of the mess in his own heart.

Those oceans called him, and he would gladly jump there and drown without a second thought.

**_And I_ _  
_ _I would be King_ _  
_ _And you_ _  
_ _Would be my Queen_ **

“Red and black, combined together, really suits you,” he blurted out unexpectedly even for himself. “No wonder, you’re an Everyday Ladybug, after all!”

At her look of confusion, he bit his tongue, but it was too late. She looked at him as if she’d never seen him before. He could have sworn that he had heard the echo of Plagg’s cackling in his head. _‘Just great!’_ he berated himself internally, _‘comparing this amazing girl with the love of your life for the second time in a row.’_

The spark of amazement that was glinting in her stormy eyes suddenly became blinding. Chat missed the flash of determination in Marinette’s eyes, so he was completely unprepared for her quick movement and the sudden feeling of her warm and soft lips on his. For a couple of seconds, shock left him completely still. But when she started to pull away, no doubt confused by the lack of response, he came to his senses, pulled her closer, and kissed her back.

The tentative movements of their lips become bolder. Time seemed to slow down; the world burst into colors and sensations. And the most miraculous thing - the kiss seemed to be magical, establishing a new kind of connection and making the energy course through them in a different way. The flow washed away masks and dumb excuses, broke walls of secrets, and made everything crystal clear. 

They pulled away, gasping for air, needing some space between them to put the last puzzle in a picture composed of slip-ups and suspicions.

“Adrien,” stated Marinette, still high on the confidence outburst. Her widened eyes were still searching the evidence on his face, but she stated it like a confirmed fact.

He smiled sheepishly. “Um, yes. Sorry, I shouldn’t have…”

“Oh, Chaton,” Marinette's melodic laugh was drowned out by Jagged’s rising voice. “You should’ve been more careful. But I guess we can deal with it. You and me against the world, as always.” She leaned closer to his ear and sang along with their idol:

**_We can be Heroes_ _  
_ _Forever and ever_ _  
_ _What‘d you say?_ **

“Ladybug?” Chat breathed out the question. Marinette just nodded. He chuckled, “Of course, it’s you. Who else could be the main hero of this city?” He took another deep breath, trying to calm down his racing heart. Marinette watched him intently, tense but with a soft smile on her lips. 

“But wait,” he said in a moment, crossing his arms and frowning. “How could you be a hero if you’re a thief?”

The girl’s eyes widened in alarm. “The phone was an addict- I mean an accident!”

 _‘Phone? Which phone? Nevermind, later.’_ “No, I’m talking about you stealing my heart twice.” He stepped closer. “What can you say in your defense?” 

She just kissed him again. Fireworks exploded, illuminating everything around. The last notes of the melody were dissolving in the noise. Below them, the crowd was cheering, oblivious to the young heroes’ discoveries.

**_And the guns_  
_Shot above our heads (All around us)_ _  
_ _And we kissed_ _  
_ _As though nothing could fall (Nothing could fall)_ **

True, their pretense of the partnership “just for one day” had almost ended. But both Adrien and Marinette wanted to believe that it was only the start of an even longer and more thrilling adventure. And they were ready to take the first step, hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't believe that this seven weeks long journey is over.  
> This is my biggest text so far, even if we count all those written in native languages. After this, I'm feeling like an entirely different person.  
> I hope that you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please, leave your thoughts in comments, it's the best fuel for any writer! And stay tuned for the next works! (or read older ones 😉)
> 
> Update (December 2020) : [TheLuckyLady13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLuckyLady13) made those two art pieces for me as aserver anniversary gift! Super cute, isn't it? 🥰

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please, share your thoughts with me in the comment section.  
> You can read my other works in my profile here on AO3 (half of them are songfics lol) or find me on [Tumblr](https://noirequin.tumblr.com)  
> where I'll be sharing my works and talk about my sources of inspiration.  
> If you’re writing/reading fanfiction or drawing MLB fanart and looking for friendly and supportive community, you can [join us today](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) on Miraculous Fanworks Discord server!


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